Bikes, Cars, and Submarines
by ILETUDRIVE
Summary: Back by popular!!! (Or is that delusional demand?) Anyway here is my fun little ride of a fic, come on in and give it a whirl, you may be surprised to read what some of your favorite characters maybe doing. Will feature a large, ensemble cast.
1. Not a man

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I merely abuse General Hospital's, Capital Cities, and ABC-TV's creations at my own whim and desire.

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Author's Note: Some of you may remember reading this one here. It was yanked when I couldn't edit one chapter before the board went NC-17. I had a request to have this put up again, so here it is with that one chapter slightly edited; if anyone wants to read the chapter as it was originally written just e-mail me and let me know.

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Feedback: Please drop me a note and let me know what you thought of this fun little ride fic.

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Distribution: Ask me first please.

Stephanie

(This one is for you Page)

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Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

[Author's Note: Key Historical Changes

Elizabeth Webber moved to Port Charles a year ago at age 20. She spent one summer here previously at age 16, and made the mistake of dating Lucky Spencer for two weeks.

Jason Morgan owns a garage/bike shop as a legitimate business; he is still Sonny Corinthos right hand man. He is still in love with and misses Robin Scorpio. They broke up after he was shot and she couldn't handle his lifestyle anymore.

Sonny Corinthos is Jason's best friend and business partner, he never left town, Brenda Barrett and him broke up and she left town.

Carly Roberts was never pregnant (No Michael), she is still being kept by Tony, but is having some serious cravings for her best friend and former boy on the side Jason.

Those are the key changes more will be explained in the text.]

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~Prologue~

Elizabeth Webber took a step back to study her work, it was almost finished, just one more thing to be done and it would be perfection. Biting her bottom lip she reached down and picked up her tool to complete her masterpiece. Finally satisfied she backed away, "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, if I do say so myself," she said with a grin.

"Jeez Elizabeth, it's just a car."

"A car," Elizabeth cried and turned around to face him, putting her greasy hands on her hips as she did so. "Reggie you need to get away from the Q mansion more often, this is a Bentley, it is a classic, there is no 'just a car' about it."

"Well thank you Mr. Edward Quartermaine," Reginald jumped down from his perch on top of a stepladder where he had been watching her work for the last hour. "So is it fixed?"

Shaking her head she moved over to the lever to lower the classic beauty down on the ground, "Yes it's fixed. I couldn't find any of the struts I needed, so I made some, you should have no problems though. It's just hard to get part for these beauties anymore," she finished with a wistful sigh, absently scrubbing her greasy hands with a rag as the beautiful car lowered to the ground.

"Thank God, Lila wants to tour the countryside tomorrow, to check out the flowers, she refuses to go in anything but the Bentley," he sighed in relief and went over to the Bentley he pulled out his handkerchief and scrubbed off a spot on the hood. "She loves the Bentley."

"Well she should," giving up on her handsshe headed for her water bottle instead.

"It was the first car she ever had, and she has had it ever since. Even when the Q's lost all of their money and had to move above Kelly's, Lila managed to hold onto this car," Reginald's devotion to Lila evidenced by the adoration in his voice.

"Wait a minute, they lived in Kelly's? When? Oh God I would have loved to have seen that," Elizabeth gasped her laughter echoing through the garage.

"Oh it was a long time ago, I wasn't working there yet, but my dad was. Edward will still rage about it at times."

"So what happened?" Elizabeth jumped up on a workbench to sit down.

"Pickle Lila saved them."

Elizabeth choked on her water. "W-what?"

"Lila's pickle relish, it was called Pickle Lila, she made a fortune off of it. She gave the money to her family, and that brought the Q's back to their normal status of wheeling and dealing," Reginald leaned against the car, his eyes lit with humor, as he continued "that was when Dr. Quartermaine, bought the house for the other Dr, Quartermaine, which she still threatens to throw Edward Quartermaine out of at least once a day."

Elizabeth laughed, and crossed her legs, to sit Indian style, unmindful of the grease that was covering the bench. She loved hearing Reggie's stories about life with the Q's. In fact some of them made her glad she was a Webber and not a Q, and she hadn't thought that was possible. "So have you ever told the old man where you take his cars to be fixed?"

Reginald blanched at the though, "No! He wouldn't want his cars anywhere near that, that common criminal." He finished imitating Edward's blustery tone.

"Hey Jason doesn't work on them I do. Jason does the bikes and the cars are mine," she said huffily unzipping the top of her coveralls to her waist and pulled out her arms, exposing her blue t-shirt. It may be early June, but there was not enough air coming in through the open bay door to suit her.

"I know, but you see it's also nothing but the best for the Quartermaine's, so that is why I come to you."

Elizabeth smiled. "Nice save Reggie."

"I thought so," he grinned back at her, "besides as long as Jason doesn't touch any of them, I'm fine."

Elizabeth turned to look at the door, when a shadow fell across Reggie, putting her hand up to block the sun she looked to see who it was. The smile became wider when she recognized him.

"Comfortable?" Jason Morgan asked walking into the garage.

"Yep."

"Hey Reginald, what's up with the Bentley?" he asked heading towards the car.

"The strut bearing cam thingy, or something like that," Reginald said moving to stand in between the car and Jason.

Jason shifted to the side to move around Reginald to the car, but Reginald copied his movement, "It's fixed," he said shoving his hands in his pockets, "Elizabeth fixed it as usual." He quickly jumped to the left to block Jason's approach again.

"What are you doing?" Jason asked shaking his head at Reginald.

"Jason come here," Elizabeth said with a laugh taking pity on Reggie.

Jason glanced at Reginald again before moving to her side, "What?"

"You can't touch it," she shot him a smirk, before taking another drink.

"I can't? Why?"

"Plausible deniability or regular deniability,"

"What?" Jason asked her with a smile.

"That way if Edward ever asks if you touched one of his cars, Reggie here can deny it, and not worry about being caught in a lie. So, in other words, hands off the cars." Elizabeth nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.

Jason turned to look at the car and Reginald who was nodding then he turned back to look at Elizabeth, who was eye level with him, because of the high work bench. "So I can look but I can't touch?" he asked finally, his voice sounding deeper as usual, as he studied her face.

"Exactly," Elizabeth grinned, "here drink you look drained." She handed him her bottle before jumping down off the bench. "Come on Reggie, let's settle up." She walked into the office with Reggie close behind her.

Jason looked down at the bottle in amusement before shrugging and draining what was left in it, she was right, as usual, he was parched. His eyes were drawn to the car, then to the office door behind it, then to the car again. He knew she couldn't see anything from the office, the doorway provided the only view of the garage, and they were at the desk.

Jason moved over and threw the bottle away keeping his eye on the car. Smirking slightly he made his decision, crossing to the car he reached out a hand to touch the hood.

"Don't even think about it Morgan," Elizabeth's voice called out and he jerked his hand back and he looked up expecting to see her glaring at him. He was surprised to see that she wasn't there, that she was still in the office. Jason frowned and reached out again.

"I mean it Morgan, don't touch the freaking car."

Disgusted Jason stepped back from the car, how the hell did she know what he was going to do? He hustled back over to the workbench when he heard movement from the office. He was leaning there against the bench like he had never even moved when they walked out. Elizabeth's eyes found him and she glared at him, as she exited the office.

Reginald walked to the door, and put his hand on the door handle. "Thanks again Elizabeth," he opened the door, before turning to face Jason. "Your Grandmother would love to see you when you have the chance."

Jason shifted against the bench. "I'll come by."

"When?" Normally, Jason intimidated Reginald, but when it came to Lila he was ferocious.

Jason felt the weight of the stare and gave in. "Tell her I will come by Monday afternoon, around 3:00, is that ok?"

"Good, I will tell her to expect you," Reginald said before getting in the car and slowly backing out of the shop.

Elizabeth waited until the car was out of sight before walking over to Jason and poking him hard in the ribs. "We had a deal Morgan."

"Hey cut that out," Jason ordered when she poked him again.

"I get the cars, you get the bikes. That was the deal. So keep your hands off my cars," Elizabeth glared up at him, the temper evident in her slate eyes.

"I wasn't going to work on the car," he heard her snort and continued on defensively. "I wasn't, you said it was fixed."

"But you were going to touch it, and by doing so get Reggie in a lot of trouble."

Jason was quiet, he was going to do that yes, but he sure as hell wasn't going to admit to it.

"Here comes the Jason Morgan specialty act, be silent, be still, be silent, be still. You can save it Morgan I'm on to you," putting her hands on her hips she inched closer to him. "You won't lie to me, so you will just be quiet when it comes to something you should lie about, that is one hell of a tell Jason." She poked him in the ribs again.

"Cut it out," Jason ordered catching her hands in his, "Maybe, just maybe I was going to do that."

"Maybe there was no maybe about it Morgan," Elizabeth sighed as her quick to flash temper eased.

Jason cautiously let go of her hands in the past year he had developed a very healthy respect for her temper. He had to, he seemed to set it off at least once a day. His eyes were on her upturned face, his hand reached out and cupped her cheek.

Elizabeth stared at him in surprise but made no effort to pull away from him.

"You have grease on your cheek," he murmured softly in explanation. That was true there had been a smudge on her face, but it was long since gone, and he hadn't stopped touching her. Her skin was so soft, and warm, he hadn't been this close to her in a very long time, not since the one night in his life he had gotten drunk and kissed her. He knew he should let go of her now, but her skin was so inviting that there was no way he couldn't not touch her.

"Thanks," Elizabeth said softly, his hand continued to brush her cheek, both were content with the silence, and looking in each others eyes while he caressed her face.

"Jason."

Jason stepped back and let his hand fall away turning to look at Sonny Corinthos.

"Am I interrupting?" Sonny asked with a smile, knowing damn well that he was.

Elizabeth laughed. "No Mr. Corinthos, Jason was just reminding me how dirty I get when I work."

"Sonny." Sonny ordered with a grimace.

"Whatever you say Mr. Corinthos," Elizabeth answered with a grin. "Hey Johnny did you come to pay me that $20 dollars?"

Johnny flushed when both Jason and Sonny turned to look at him. "No, well yes I can, but no." he stammered.

Sonny chuckled. "Well which is it?"

"No I didn't come here for that, but yes I can pay you," Johnny said quickly reaching for his wallet.

"Tsk, Tsk, Johnny you should never keep a lady waiting." Sonny said.

Elizabeth's laughter rang out again, "Lady? Mr. Corinthos if there is one thing I am not it is a lady."

All of the men frowned at that remark, but before anyone could speak she continued on, "God its after 6:30 already? I have to hurry I got plans." She cried rushing around trying to organize her tools. "Is it okay if I use your shower?"

Jason nodded, "Go I'll close up."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said in relief and headed for the stairs only to come up short when someone stepped in her path, "Lucky," she said tiredly, "you're in my way."

"Sorry," Lucky smiled and made no move to get out of her way.

Elizabeth groaned she really didn't have time for his whole stalker routine tonight. She shoved at his chest, leaving grease prints all over his white shirt when she did so, and moved past him into the hall, to sit on the stairs and remove her work boots.

"Lucky did you need something?"

Lucky reluctantly wrenched his eyes from Elizabeth and looked at Jason. "I have the new logo for the website and the spread sheet analysis you wanted," Lucky moved over to him and handed him a file. "Hi Sonny."

"Lucky," Sonny nodded at the boy.

Johnny watched Lucky, who was watching Elizabeth as she stepped out of her coveralls exposing her shorts and t-shirt. Lucky was staring at her with something like awe on his face.

Sonny on the other hand was watching Jason. Jason had noticed Lucky's transfixed state and glanced over at Elizabeth as well. Sonny noted with some satisfaction that he didn't look away from her, and in fact had moved in front of Lucky to block his view of her.

Elizabeth oblivious to the looks she was receiving hung her coveralls on a hook, took down a garment bag and turned and ran up the stairs.

Johnny snorted when he saw Lucky almost fall over when the boy tilted his body trying to follow her progress up the stairs.

Jason heard the snort and glanced back at Lucky steadying the boy when he almost toppled over, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Lucky said unevenly, he was perspiring a little as well.

Johnny glanced at Sonny who nodded and then moved through the shop to stand at the bottom of the stairs.

"Look I have business with Sonny, so why don't we do this another time," Jason said gesturing with the file, "Go ahead and take off, I'll see you tomorrow Lucky."

"Sure Jason whenever," Lucky agreed quickly moving towards the back stairs and Johnny.

Jason jerked his head to gesture to the office and Sonny nodded, and both men moved inside of it.

Lucky came to a stop in front of Johnny. "Excuse me," he said waiting for the bodyguard to move.

"Didn't Jason tell you to leave?" Johnny asked the boy.

"Yeah, but I need something from upstairs before I go," Lucky shifted on his feet, "So you want to move?"

"No." 

"What do you mean no?" Lucky asked in confusion.

Johnny stared down at Lucky his eyes cold and mean, when he spoke his voice was menacing. "You don't need anything from upstairs Lucky."

Lucky backed off frightened by the menace he heard. "C-come on Johnny what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, but you will."

"What?"

"She's not interested in you, she will never be interested in you, no matter how many times you follow her, how many times you call her, or how many times you ask her out, she will never say yes to you. So do yourself a favor and leave her alone." Johnny ordered.

"You don't know anything about us," Lucky said desperately. His gaze moved over Johnny's shoulder to look longingly up the stairs. He knew she was up there probably under the water; his eyes glowed as he pictured the hot water dripping down her body to her… "Ouch!" Lucky cried hopping on one foot, while grabbing for the other one.

Johnny had watched the dreamy expression on Lucky's face as he stared up the stairs; he also saw his eyes begin to gleam in a lustful expression as he continued to stare. Sickened he made his move, "Sorry Lucky, I didn't mean to stomp on your foot," he said with a smile grabbing Lucky by the shoulders and propelling him to the door. "You really should leave now," he shoved Lucky through the door and locked it behind him, that boy was a nutcase.

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~Office~

"Rick can handle the load Sonny it's time he started doing more. He's good, loyal, he thinks on his feet, I think he should make the run," Jason perched on the desk.

"I agree," Sonny studied Jason from his chair, "What are you doing tonight?"

Jason shrugged, "I was going to take a ride out to the coast. Why? Do you need me to do something?"

Sonny shook his head, "You know you are allowed to have a life Jason. It's Friday night live a little."

"I have a life."

Sonny snorted, "Wrong. You have work, this shop, and a bike, that is not a life, you need to get out more, maybe even go on a date."

Jason looked at Sonny in surprise, "I love Robin."

Sonny sat up in the chair, "Jason you and Robin broke up almost a year ago. How long are you going to keep your life on hold?"

Jason scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck, got up from the desk and moved out of the office, seeking the fresh air of the open bay door of the garage.

Sonny followed him, "She wouldn't want you to be alone."

"Sonny I love her, and that didn't end when we broke up. We didn't break up because of a lack of love. We ended because she couldn't handle my lifestyle, what I did or who I am now. It had nothing to do with not loving her enough."

"Jason locking your heart away isn't doing you any good either, you need someone in your life. A date what would it hurt?"

  
"Now you sound like Emily," Jason groused with a shake of his head.

Sonny grinned, "Your sister's smart."

"She's nosy," Jason retorted with a reluctant grin, nosy or not he loved the brat.

"What about Carly?" Sonny didn't want to bring her up, but other than Robin, Carly was the only person Jason had had a relationship with. He was the only one outside of them, Jake and Robin that knew about it.

"We're friends, I ended things with her long before Robin and I broke up." Jason reminded him before looking at Sonny, "Why?"

"So you and Robin ended almost a year ago, and you and Carly were over before that, so how long are you going to be a monk?" Sonny asked deciding to press the issue.

"What is it with the people in my life lately. This is the problem with letting people in, they feel compelled to try to tell you what to do. First it was Lila, Emily, Elizabeth and now you."

Sonny looked at Jason in surprise, his friend was showing a lot more emotion than usual.

"Sonny Robin has been in my life for as long as I have been alive. She was the first person I ever saw, I can remember every word she's ever said to me. I don't know how to forget her and I don't want to."

"I'm not telling you to forget her. I just want you to put her in her place in your life, which is in the past. You have to let her go, before you can move on with your future. If you don't do that you are going to miss out on your life," Sonny said quietly, "Believe me I know."

Jason shook his head he didn't know how to let her go. Lord knows he had tried hard enough, but she seemed stuck there in his head and heart.

"How long have you had this shop?"

"I don't know a little over a year I guess." Jason shrugged, it didn't seem important to remember the exact date.

"How long as Elizabeth worked here?"

"12 months, 3 days," Jason answered immediately, "Why?"

Sonny swallowed a smile, interesting he thought, Jason couldn't remember when he opened his business, but he knew the exact date Elizabeth Webber walked into it. Maybe the vibes he was getting from those two were right, "So when do you think she'll call me Sonny?" he asked not wanting to make Jason suspicious.

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~Inside~

"Is he gone?" Elizabeth's voice drifted down the stairs.

"Yes your stalker has left the building," Johnny moved back to the stairs.

"Thank god." She walked slowly down the steps, she wasn't used to heels.

Johnny held out his hand, to help her down the last few steps, "Thanks for not letting him follow me."

"No problem."

"You know I think the little pervert was trying to peep on me the other day," Elizabeth said digging in her purse.

"What!" Johnny cried his temper on full alert.

"When I was changing the other day, I think he was peeping, I found this hole in the wall, it looked new."

"What did you do?" Johnny asked wishing he had done more than stomp on Lucky's foot.

Elizabeth shrugged, "I moved some stuff in front of the wall."

"You should tell Jason to fire him."

"Why? I don't know if he was peeping or not." Elizabeth argued reasonably, "Besides he has known Jason a lot longer than I have."

Johnny caught her arm, holding her in place when she began to move away, "Elizabeth that won't matter to Jason, he will believe you over Lucky. You need to tell him about it, and also tell him about Lucky following you, calling you, and showing up at your door."

"Why Johnny? He's my boss not my boyfriend, besides the day hasn't come when I can't handle Lurky Spencer," she finished with a grin.

"Lurky?" Johnny couldn't help but be amused.

"Well Lucky is an idiotic name, and every time I turn around there he is lurking behind me," she explained with a giggle.

"It suits him." Johnny laughed for another minute, before turning serious again, "I still say you need to tell Jason."

"Johnny if something concrete happens I will, especially if it happens at work, that will give Jason a real reason to fire him if he wants to."

"Still…" Johnny began with a shake of his head.

"Until then I have you," Elizabeth moved closer to him to straighten his tie, "My pseudo-big brother who will squash little Lurky like a bug if I ask you too, right?"

"With pleasure," Johnny said with a smile taking her arm and leading her outside.

"Mr. Corinthos, I need a favor," Elizabeth stepped out into the light.

At her words Jason turned around to look at her and his mouth dropped open slightly in shock. That couldn't be Elizabeth but it was, he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Sonny noticed Jason's stunned reaction and smiled, "Yes Elizabeth?"

"Do you think this will pass muster for Café Matisse?" Elizabeth asked, "I need a man's opinion and these two are useless."

Elizabeth stepped away from Johnny and did a slow pirouette to show off her dress. Jason stared at her, her long, dark, curly hair was pinned up at the sides, so it cascaded down her back. Her expressive slate eyes were darkened by makeup and the color pink softened her full lips. Gone were her coveralls, in their place she wore a light purple sundress with tiny straps holding it up. The dress hung a little low in the front and clung to her breasts. As she turned Jason realized that the back was a crisscross of strings holding the dress in place. He stifled a groan as he noticed a small slit on the left side of the dress exposing her thigh, as it was the dress ended above her knees.

"Are you going out like that?" Jason managed finally.

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise, "Yes. Why is there something wrong?"

Wrong of course there was something wrong she had no right to go out looking like that, "You can't," Jason said, wait a minute did he just say that?

"Why not?" Elizabeth demanded her temper spiking again, "Mr. Corinthos, is this okay for the Café? Danny said it was dress, is this not dressy enough?"

"Danny?"

"No you look exquisite," Both Jason and Sonny spoke at the same time.

"Well if your sure, then I am ready to go. Thanks again Mr. Corinthos, I'm glad you were here."

"Danny?" Jason asked again.

"Yes, Danny my date."

"Why did you want my opinion, surely Johnny or Jason would give you theirs?"

Elizabeth laughed digging in her purse for her keys, "Because I needed a man's opinion."

"Danny who?" Jason snapped his gut tightening at her husky laugh. Did it always sound like that?

Sonny laughed, enjoying the frustration he felt from Jason, "And what? They're not men?"

Elizabeth popped a breath mint in her mouth, "Well Johnny thinks of me as a little sister. So I am sure his response would be you look nice, but don't you think you should cover up some."

Johnny nodded his head, "It's supposed to cool off tonight, you should bring a sweater."

"See," Elizabeth said with a laugh, "I'll be fine daddy, now don't wait up." She said turning to go to her car.

"Wait, what about Jason?" Sonny called he had a feeling that this was going to be good.

"Jason?" Elizabeth repeated unlocking her car door before turning to look at Sonny, "Well I don't think of Jason as a man," Elizabeth gestured towards Jason, "He's just…just Jason. Bye all."

Johnny's burst of laughter echoed around the parking lot as Elizabeth started her mustang. Soon it was joined by Sonny's laughter as Jason stared after Elizabeth stunned.

Not a man? Well what the hell was he then, Jason wondered darkly as he watched her drive away.

Sonny clapped Jason on the back, "Well I think you have been acting like a monk for too long Jason, even the women don't notice you now," he quipped sending both him and Johnny off on another laughing fit.

Jason glared at them, Elizabeth was going to pay for that remark, he thought darkly, looking after her car. And who the fuck was Danny?


	2. Doe, a deer, a something, something deer

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Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 1

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~Elm Street~

Elizabeth fishtailed around the corner as she dug for her phone, "Same to you buddy," she yelled to the driver of the car beside her, jeez what was his problem that was what brakes were for.

"Come on, pick up," she muttered hitting the re-dial on her phone, "pick up."

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"Hello."

"Emily thank god."

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"Elizabeth what is it? What's wrong?" Emily pulled out of Nikolas' arms when she heard the panic in her friend's voice.

"I blew it, I opened my mouth and totally freaking blew it," Elizabeth moaned cutting in front of another car.

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"What happened?" Emily asked moving away from Nikolas with a smile to give herself some privacy.

"I told Jason that I didn't think of him as a man."

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"What?" Emily shrieked with a laugh, "How did you do that?"

"I don't know," she wailed, "God it was awful, sometimes I hear this stuff come flying out of my mouth and I can't believe I said it. Oh my God not think of him as a man? Only every friggin second of the day."

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"Elizabeth take a breath."

"It gets worse, Sonny and Johnny were there when I said it. God you should have seen the look on his face, and heard the laughter, oh he's got to hate me."

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She could imagine Emily thought with a shake of her head, "Why did you even say it?"

"I don't know, I wanted to get under his skin, and the next thing I knew out it came. You know I don't think correctly when I'm around him anyway." She closed her eyes briefly in remembrance only to open them quickly when the blare of a car horn sounded.

"It was going so good to, he was touching my face, and looking at me like he never wanted to stop. God knows I wasn't going to stop him. Then later when he saw me in that dress you made me buy."

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"He what? Spill it." Emily demanded

"The way he was looking at me, I couldn't catch my breath and I guess that lack of oxygen did something to my brain and I said what I said, God I'm an idiot."

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"Calm down Elizabeth, I think our plan is working great."

"How can you say that?" Elizabeth cried yanking hard on the wheel when she realized she had almost missed her turn, and cutting off another car as she did so, "I insulted him."

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"No from the sounds of if I would say he was definitely noticing you." Emily said encouragingly.

"Yeah noticing what an idiot I am. God I have to calm down before I meet Danny, speaking of other idiotic moves I have made no thanks to you."

__

Emily ignored that, "How did he react to the news of your date?"

"He wanted to know who Danny was, in fact he was pretty adamant about knowing," pausing she tried to remember Jason's expression, "He didn't seem to happy about it, he also didn't seem to want me to go out in this dress."

__

"Good, it's working out perfectly."

"I don't know if I can do this Emily, I mean we've just started and I've already blown it."

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"Elizabeth what do you want?" Emily demanded determined to focus her friend.

"Jason," the answer was immediate and from her heart. She had wanted him since the first moment she saw him. At first it was only a physical attraction, but over the months she realized it had grown into love, hence this brilliant plan of Emily's.

__

"Then we have to keep up the plan," smiling at Nikolas she walked back to him slowly, "Trust me we'll submarine him, Jason will never know what hit him."

"Peachy," Elizabeth murmured weakly ending the call.

Taking the initiative with Jason had sounded so good to her after several beers at Jake's but in the sober light of day, she was beginning to doubt the wisdom of their plan. She was hardly a femme fatale and Jason was…Elizabeth groaned and banged her head on the steering wheel, as she stopped at a green light, Jason was gorgeous. "What the hell are you trying to do Webber?" she asked herself as car horns began to blare behind her.

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~Garage~

"So how was your date last night?" Jason's voice rang out in the quiet garage.

Forgetting where she was Elizabeth jerked her head and connected brutally with the hood of the car, "Owww, Damn'it" she cried easing out from under the hood and reaching up to massage her head.

Jason reached out and stopped her hand, "Grease," he reminded her before he reached up and touched the back of her head looking for the lump.

Elizabeth jerked in response to his touch, and Jason took it to mean that he had found the bump, "Well it's not bleeding." He looked down at her. Why had he never noticed how petite she really was? Her attitude seemed to make her taller than she was.

Bringing his other hand up to her hair, his fingers and as if working of their own accord pulled off the hair band holding back her long hair. His hands worked their way through her hair, working it free of the restraint. Her hair felt so soft, like silk, he thought as it ran through his fingers, he was so close that he could smell the scent of her shampoo, it was familiar but he couldn't quite place it.

He looked into her upturned face and inched closer into the embrace. She hadn't bothered with make-up this morning, but her eyes were as powerful as they were last night. Her mouth was unpainted, but it was so full, his eyes darkened as he watched her pull her bottom lip in her mouth to worry it with her teeth. He stifled a groan, God that made him crazy. 

Jason brought one hand around to the front of her face, and trailed his thumb down the velvety softness of her cheek, before moving over and pressing down on her chin, so she released her bottom lip. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, soothing the skin from what her teeth had done.

"Jason, telephone." Lucky's voice shattered the quiet intensity between them.

"Right," Jason stepped back from her, letting go of her quickly, "So, uhm, I better, uhm go get that," he stammered before heading to the office.

Elizabeth managed to hold on until he reached the office before collapsing against the car. She hadn't even dared to breathe while he was touching her. She was afraid that any movement, any sound would break the spell he was weaving between them.

Sucking in air, she had to remind herself to expel it, in and out that was how you breathed. The touch of his hands in her hair, on her face, coupled with that look he was giving her, Elizabeth shook her head, another minute of that and she would have pulled him to the ground and took him whether he wanted it or not.

Elizabeth sighed it was a good thing Lurky had interrupted them, she was not in this for a quickie on the garage floor. She wanted a relationship with Jason, but still she thought darkly, Lurky had the worst timing.

****

~P.C. Grille~

Sonny entered the Grille and immediately spotted Alexis, his smile died when he saw whom she was talking to. He quickly walked up to the couple, "Sorry I'm late Alexis," he said with a smile.

"Sonny you do realize I will bill you for every minute I had to wait," Alexis glanced at her watch.

"Bill me, you're worth it," Sonny said with a wink, "Jax," he said with a sneer, "you're in my seat Jasper."

"Corinthos, you're as rude as ever," Jax got to his feet.

"Rude, oh you wound me Jasper," Sonny put his hands to his chest, while taunting the other man.

"Jax, please, this is business." Alexis tried to interrupt the staring contest between the two men. God sometimes she wished they would just get a ruler, whip it out, and measure, anything to stop this one-upmanship thing. Alexis laughed at that thought. Both men turned to look at her and she quickly turned the laugh into a cough.

"Yeah Jasper, this is business," Sonny hissed, "so get lost candy boy."

Jax moved past Sonny and kissed Alexis's cheek, "I'll see you at dinner."

Not if I can help it, Sonny thought as Jax walked away, "So Alexis, how's tricks?" he asked settling into a seat.

****

~Garage~

"You never answered me," Jason moved up quietly beside Elizabeth who was scrubbing at some parts in a sink, while the murky degreaser cascaded over them.

"About what?" Elizabeth asked jerking her head trying to get her hair out of her face; she had never found her hair band after Jason had removed it earlier.

Jason brushed her hair out of her face, catching it and pulling it over her shoulder, his fingers grazing her cheek as he tucked some behind her ear, he heard her suck in a breath at the touch, but she didn't pull away. "How was your date?" He asked turning to lean against the sink, picking up a brush to scrub at one of the other parts.

She sucked in another breath when he made contact with her, his hip and thigh pressing up against her, what did he just say? She wondered, realizing he was waiting for her response. Date right, what was his name again, "It was good."

He nodded, "So you been seeing this Danny long?"

Danny that was it, "No, last night was our first date, Emily set us up."

Emily again, damn but she was a brat, "Are you going to see him again?" He asked casually, at least he hoped it was casually. He didn't understand why but the thought of her dating someone made him uncomfortable, no actually it was more than that. It gave him a feeling that he had never had before, he couldn't define it, but he knew he didn't like it.

"What's with all the questions Jason?" Elizabeth asked.

Jason shifted, bringing his hip into contact with her body again, "I'm just curious, I've never seen you date before."

"Well I got news for you Morgan, last night wasn't my first date and it won't be my last one either." Elizabeth retorted, he had sounded so surprised that someone actually wanted to date her.

"Oh." Why did that not sit well with him, the fact that she had dated other men. Men that brought up another thing he wanted to talk to her about. "So about what you said last night."

Her pulse skittered, breathe, she told herself, everything will be fine if you just breathe. She had spent a lot of last night preparing herself for this conversation, and if she remembered to breathe she might actually get through it. "What did I say?"

"About not seeing me as a man, what did you mean by that?" Jason asked turning slightly to face her, stopping his scrubbing as he did so.

"Oh that," she laugh dismissively. "It just means that other than you being my boss, I haven't given you much thought." She closed her eyes waiting for the lightning bolt to strike her dead for lying, but God must have been busy, because no bolt came, she couldn't understand why she was more mad than relieved at that.

He didn't like the sound of that, he knew he wasn't unattractive, in fact he'd been told he looked pretty damn good. He didn't know why, maybe it was the stubborn tilt of her chin or the I dare you look she always had in her eyes, but he decided to prove a point to her. Shifting closer he reached for the brush again, deliberately brushing her hand as he did so.

It took nerve but she remained in place, he was up to something, think of something else she ordered her brain, that whole right brain, left brain thing, maybe it would work, he brushed her hand again, _Doe a deer, a something, something deer._

"I have to admit I don't know if I like that," Jason said slowly his voice a little huskier than usual, his jean clad thigh pressed against her.

__

Ray a shaft of golden light, Ha remembered that one, "I didn't mean it as an insult." She was absolutely thrilled that her voice sounded normal.

Testing her he bent down and smelled her hair, now he recognized the scent. It was vanilla, he moved his mouth over to her ear, his breath warm on her exposed skin, "Well you did."

__

Me the name of an idiot. She scrubbed harder at the part, but she couldn't help the slight shiver at the feel of his breath, "I didn't mean to."

There he thought in triumph, her breathing was becoming more uneven, she wasn't as immune as she thought. He reached over and stopped her hand, "Don't use your nails, you'll hurt yourself," he said softly.

__

Sew….sew….needle…hell, "That's okay I don't have much in the way of nails anyway." 

Jason moved then raising one arm over her head moving to stand behind her encasing her in his embrace, his hands covered hers on the part, "Let me help," he whispered in her ear.

__

Far….floor…a nice, nice place to fuu, okay bad song, "J-jason," her voice broke when she felt his breath on her cheek.

He smiled, oh she was definitely thinking of him as a man now. Letting go of the brush he put his hands on her shoulders and turn her around, so he could look in her face.

She stared up at him, her hands behind her gripping the sink she was leaning against. He braced one hand on either side of her on the sink, and bent down. Slowly and softly he moved his lips in the lightest of a caress over one cheek then the other, "So it really doesn't effect you when I do this."

__

The parts of a flower are so constructed that very, very often the wind will cause pollination, God worse song. Her eyes widened and she tried desperately to switch her left brain off, she looked up at him and lied, "No."

Pulling back slightly to study her before moving closer still, he parted her legs with one of his, and brought a thigh between hers, she was lying he could tell. He wondered how long it would take before she admitted it to him, for some reason he needed that admission, "How about this?"

__

Put your pollen tube to work. She swallowed a groan, damn brain, "What are you trying to prove Morgan?" she was thrilled that her voice was still steady, of course what nails she did have were now permanently embedded in the sink wall, but she was still coherent.

He smiled at her slightly, his face so close to hers they were almost sharing breaths. She was stubborn, but he could see her body, and she couldn't hide her reactions from him. Her eyes darkened more each time he touched her, her breathing had sped up, causing her chest to rise and fall more often, and drawing his attention to her t-shirt as it did so, her face was flushed, and she was worrying her bottom lip again. Oh yes she was definitely thinking of him as a man now, he lowered his head and began to nuzzle her neck, "So this doesn't do a thing for you."

__

Make my stamen go berserk. She jerked away from him as that line ran through her head. "Knock it off Morgan," she ordered in a voice that barely made it over a whisper.

He pulled away slightly to study her eyes, "If I were to kiss you, you wouldn't even respond?"

__

Where does the pollen go? "No."

Jason lowered his head, his lips hovered over her lips for a second, before they lowered even closer, and she felt the slightest whisper on her lips, then suddenly he stepped back away from her, "Good, just checking."

Bastard the thought ran through her head and almost flew out of her mouth, as she blinked up at him.

Jason studied her, oh yes she was aware of him he turned away from her, instead of the triumph he expected to feel, he was painfully aware of how aware of her he was too. Just what exactly had he been trying to prove, he wondered with a slight smile, whatever it was he thought he hadn't done it.

Her mercurial temper spiked when she saw his smile, as usual that caused her to speak before she thought, "So what was this, some sort of half-assed seduction because I hurt your feelings last night?"

Jason looked over at her as he picked up a rag to dry his hands, "You didn't hurt my feelings, but what if it was, I'm not a monk, I'm a man."

She smiled, "Really, well now I see why you haven't been with a woman in a while, if that was the best you could do, it sure explains a lot."

"Excuse me." He demanded insulted.

She heard the anger in his tone but didn't care, "It's okay I'm sure you'll do better with practice. If you want to know the truth I haven't been with a man in a long time either, so if you had pulled this little experiment yesterday before my date you might have had a different reaction from me."

Jason threw the rag on the bench and stalked over to her, Elizabeth gulped at the realization she might have gone a little to far, and she pressed herself back into the sink, "Do you mean you slept with him on your first date?"

Insulted, her eyes blazed at him, unmindful of the grease, she shoved at his chest trying to get him away from him, but he didn't budge, "What if I did? Are you jealous?"

Jealous, he had never been jealous in his life, he didn't even know what jealousy felt like it, and now he was afraid that that was what he was feeling and his temper spiked, "Answer me." He demanded his hands went to her hips to draw her flush against him.

"No." She admitted finally trapped by the power of those intense eyes, "But he is a damn fine kisser, no doubt better than you." She smiled up at him in a dare.

Oops, she thought as his expression darkened, she might have gone a little to far with that one too. She watched his expression change and the light of a challenge that had been accepted gleam in his eyes, a rakish grin crossed his features, causing her breath to back up in her lungs and her pulse began to throb in anticipation.

He lowered his head, pausing slightly when he saw her brace, before continuing the motion and lightly pressing his lips on hers in a soft caress.

Elizabeth had been preparing herself for power; but she had no defense for the persuasive softness of his lips as they firmly but softly caressed her mouth, his tongue tracing her bottom lip asking for admittance.

With a sigh she opened to him, his tongue slipped inside her mouth bringing with it the taste of him that was all male, and for this amazing second all hers. Her hands clenched at his hips molding him to her as he continued the deadly assault on her mouth.

He had thought he had only wanted a taste of her generous mouth, just a taste to prove to her that he was very much a flesh blood man, but when she sighed and opened to him, he realized he wanted so much more he wanted everything from her.

Her mouth began to move greedily on his as the passion grew between them, her hands raced over his long powerful body.

Jason hadn't felt anything close to this intensity, before, not even with Robin. Robin, the name was enough to wake him to what he was doing. He stepped away from her, breaking the kiss aware for the first time that his hand had slipped under her shirt seeking her skin. Her mouth was bruised from the onslaught of his kisses, her eyes still half closed in desire. He sucked in a breath and tore his gaze from her while he tried to even his breathing, "I'm sorry," he said finally.

Sorry, one word, five letters, and it had the power to end her world, she thought quickly turning around putting her back to him so he couldn't see the hurt on her face.

"Elizabeth," He studied the tense lines of her body and her bowed head.

God help me get through this, she thought bleakly before taking a breath, "You won Jason, you proved your point, I will definitely think of you as a man." She said bitterly, desperately fighting back her tears, "I guess I wasn't that much of a challenge to you."

"Elizabeth don't say that, I didn't mean it like that" He touched her shoulder.

She jerked away from his hand and picked up the scrub brush again, "No problem Jason."

"Damn'it I was a minute away from pulling you to the floor and taking you right there," Jason cried in frustration running a hand through his hair. "It's just, you're right," he felt desperate to explain away these feelings she had awoken in him, but knew he was failing miserably, "I haven't been with a woman in a very long time, and then there you were practically daring me."

With every word he was digging himself in deeper and deeper and with every word her anger was building. "So what? You had an itch that needed scratched and I was handy? Is that what your saying?" She asked angrily, whirling around to face him a livid expression on her face.

"No," He yelled appalled, "look it wasn't like that."

"It wasn't so clue me in, why did you kiss me?" She demanded, "If it wasn't to prove a point, or because I was handy why did you?"

Sonny walked into the entryway just in time to hear Elizabeth's question, he saw the fury and pain on her face and the confusion and pain on Jason's.

"I don't know," Jason admitted finally, "you made me mad."

"Asshole." She threw the brush at him catching a surprised Jason in the chest. She walked up to him and shoved him hard. Caught off guard he took a couple of steps back. "Next time you want to mess with someone's head stay the hell away from me." She yelled and shoved him again before turning and sprinting away from him and up the stairs.

Already off balance Jason collapsed against the car, his elbow catching the windshield when he did. His curse echoed through the garage, sending a wide-eyed Lucky back into the office.

Sonny wiped the smile off his face and walked over to Jason and leaned against the car next to him, "So are you having a good day?" he asked after a minute of silence.

Jason turned and glared at Sonny but said nothing.

"Did I miss anything interesting?"

"Drop it Sonny," Jason moved away from him absently rubbing his elbow, his eyes were on the stairs Elizabeth had disappeared up.

Sonny's laughter drew his attention back to him, "What's so funny?"

"You might want to change Jason." Sonny said finally.

He glanced down at himself, he didn't see anything wrong except for the grease stains on his shirt from where Elizabeth had shoved him, "Why?"

"Turn around," Sonny said with another laugh.

Jason crossed to a cracked mirror that was leaning against the far wall, and turned slightly, he could see Elizabeth's handprints on his butt and back, where she had grabbed him.

"Don't say a word," he ordered Sonny moving past him only to stop at the bottom of the stairs. He couldn't go upstairs, that was where she was.

Swallowing a groan, he walked back through the shop past an openly amused Sonny and slammed into the office, "Go Home!" Jason ordered Lucky with a glare.

Lucky jerked to his feet "I was just going to…"

Jason's eyes locked on him, "Leave."

Lucky backed up and tripped over a chair, sending himself flying into the file cabinet. He steadied himself, and propped the plant upright before backing towards the door. "Goodbye Jason, AHHHH." Lucky screamed and jumped, ramming his head in the door when he backed into Sonny.

"Are you okay Lucky?"

Lucky's head was throbbing, his ears were ringing and he was pretty sure he needed to change his pants, "Bye Sonny," he backed away from him, waiting until he was outside before turning to run to his bicycle, yes he needed to change.

"That boy is off." Sonny said with a shake of his head before he moved into the office.

****

~Upstairs~

Elizabeth prowled around Jason's room, trying to work off her temper. The nerve of that man, kissing her like that, until she was willing to do anything he wanted, and then telling her the only reason he did so was because he hadn't been with anyone in a long time. She paced into the storeroom and shoved at a box sending it crashing to the floor with a thud.

****

~Downstairs~

Jason and Sonny glanced up at the ceiling when they heard a thud followed in a rapid succession by two more. Sonny looked at Jason, "Do you think we should check on her?"

"I'm not going up there she's mad at me," Jason said immediately, "You go."

Sonny shook his head when another crash reverberated through the room. "Johnny." He yelled.

Johnny walked in from outside just as another crash sounded from above, "Yeah?"

"Go upstairs and check on Elizabeth."

Concerned Johnny took off for the stairs at a run.

Sonny stared after Johnny, "Do you think we should have warned him?"

Jason shrugged, "She likes Johnny." She always took his arm, always smiled at him, how many times had he seen them together at Jake's playing pool or cards? Jason's temper sizzled at that thought, "No she'll be glad to see Johnny," he said bitterly.

Sonny turned at Jason's comment and crossed over to take a seat, this was even better than he hoped, "You're jealous of Johnny."

****

~Upstairs~

Elizabeth glanced around the storeroom looking for something else to throw; she still had a good deal of temper to work through. Moving over to a box she tried to rip it open, it wouldn't give, so she tried to shove it off the rack but couldn't move it.

"Problem?" Johnny asked from the doorway while he surveyed the destroyed room.

"Yes my boss is a complete idiot and I can't get in this freaking box." She cried in disgust.

Johnny moved over to her carefully, he had grown up in a house full of women, four sisters and his mother so he knew better than anyone that when a temper was on a woman, it was best to stay out of their way and let it run it's course. His tongue automatically went to the cap on his tooth, a cap that was a present from his 14 year-old sister, when he had tried to stop her from trashing her room. He had been 10 at the time, but that particular lesson only took once. He pulled the box off the shelf and set it on the floor, and put it on the ground, before opening a pocketknife to slit open the lid.

Bending down she retrieved a box that held six lug nuts, and hocked it across the room in the vague direction of the window. "Why are men such dipsticks?"

"Genetics," Johnny offered sitting down and leaning against the wall to watch her.

Groaning she picked up another box, heaving it harder she was rewarded with a smack when it hit the wall. "So what that one extra chromosome is your excuse for everything?"

"Yes." He nodded, "You know if you apply a little torque as you release, you can probably increase your distance." He suggested "Or not," he said quickly when Elizabeth turned to glare at him.

"He kissed me." Throwing another box.

"Well it was about time, you two set off enough sparks when your together."

"But then he apologized and said he only did it because he hadn't been with a woman in a long time, and that I provoked him." She yelled throwing another one.

Johnny groaned, Jason you are such an idiot he thought watching her curve her release on her throwing motion and send the box of lug nuts sailing out the window.

****

~Downstairs~

Jason and Sonny glanced over at the window, when they heard the sound of breaking glass in time to see a box go falling by the window. Jason sighed and wrote himself a note to call the repairman.

"So you want to tell me what you did to get her so riled up?"

"I kissed her."

"That much I got, what else did you do?" Sonny asked.

"I apologized for it."

Sonny groaned and put his head in his hands, "Jesus, Jason have you learned nothing about women?"

He shifted in his seat apparently not, "What did I do? I told her that the reason I got so intense with her was because I hadn't been with a woman in months; I didn't want her to think I was always that out of control."

Sonny groaned again, "Tell me you were not that stupid."

"What did I do wrong?"

"Oh God you were." Sonny said with a shake of his head. Sometimes Jason really worried him.

****

~Upstairs~

Exhausted Elizabeth hocked the last box and it barely went a couple of feet, her arm felt like it would fall off if she lifted one more thing.

"Feel better," Johnny asked, figuring it was safe to talk now.

"No." She grumbled walking over to him and sitting down, "Why do I let him get to me like this?"

"Because you're in love with him." He answered slipping in arm around her shoulders.

"But I don't want to be in love with him, it hurts too much." She rested her head on Johnny's shoulder.

Johnny smiled ruefully, "No one said love was easy."

"Why couldn't I fall in love with a nice, normal guy like you? Why did I have to pick tall, brooding, and obviously clueless?"

"Hey who says I'm normal?" Johnny asked insulted.

"Sorry," she smiled, "But why couldn't I?"

"Because there was no zing when you looked at me. Your stomach didn't drop to your knees over the power of a glance. Your pulse doesn't race when I touch you, and your breath doesn't become uneven when I get near you. Jason makes all those things happen inside of you, you can't control who you fall in love with, even if it would be easier if you could," He finished wistfully.

She studied him, "Johnny who are you in love with?"

He jerked away from her, "What makes you think I am in love?" he asked defensively.

"You are," Elizabeth cried getting to her knees beside him, "tell me with who."

****

~Downstairs~

"Jason no woman ever wants to be told that kissing them was a mistake, or because you had an itch." He saw Jason flinch, "Tell me you didn't say that to her!"

Jason shook his head, "Of course not, she said it to me."

Sonny groaned then glanced at his watch, "We need to finish this conversation but right now I have to leave."

"There's nothing to finish, it was one kiss, it will never happen again," Jason said, wondering why it hurt to say those words.

****

~Upstairs~

"Leave it alone Elizabeth," Johnny got to his feet, "we were talking about you and Jason."

Elizabeth got to her feet as well, "There is no me and Jason and there never will be," she said with a sigh, she had to let go of these ridiculous fantasies about him.

Johnny reached out and ran his finger over her cheek, "He made you cry but I know he didn't mean to. You have to remember that men are pretty clueless when it comes to women."

"That ain't no lie."

He shook his head and went on, "Jason may be a little more clueless than other guys, remember he really has only been around for a few years, and he has only had one relationship. You might cut the guy some slack."

"Johnny," Sonny's voice reached them, "If your still alive, we need to leave."

She smiled and nodded her head, "Go, I'll be fine."

Johnny paused beside her, "Think about it," he said before kissing her cheek and walking out of the room.

Think about it, she didn't think she had a choice but to think about Jason. She could still feel the imprint of Jason's lips on hers. Her body still tingled at the memory of his embrace. Her skin was still heated where he had touched her. Jason Morgan had been foremost in her mind for months, after today there would be no getting rid of him.

****

~Downstairs~

Jason pulled open a drawer in the file cabinet and pulled out a shirt before slamming it shut again with a grimace. He took off his shirt and threw it in the trash his mind still thinking about that kiss. He had no idea that she would taste like that, that she would respond like that, if he had he would have. Jason frowned he would have what? Kissed her before, what about Robin? He wondered darkly.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his back, for a brief instant he allowed himself to believe it was her, but he knew it wasn't. His body hadn't tightened; the hairs on the back of his neck hadn't risen like they always did when she entered the room.

"Are you putting on a show?" she asked her fingers idly tracing the muscles of his back, before placing a kiss in the center of his shoulder blades.

Pulling away from her he put on his shirt, "What do you want Carly?" he asked turning to face her.

"I think you know what I want," Carly smiled and ran a hand over his chest, "I want what I always want Jase," she placed a kiss on his neck, "You."

He caught her arms and pulled her away from him, "Knock it off Carly we don't do this anymore."

She leaned against the desk, and pouted, "Why not? The perfect little saint and you haven't been together in months, and I know you miss us."

"Carly we are friends, that is all we will ever be." He moved past her to stare out of the office door towards the stairway beyond it.

"Come on Jase, I know you." Walking up behind him, she slipped her hands around his waist, "You have to much fire and need in you to be content with nothing.

"Carly."

"Jase you used to want me so bad, you could barely get me in the room, against the wall, against the door, at the docks, anywhere, we were desperate for each other. Don't try to tell me that that is all gone because I won't believe it." She kept her hands on him and moved around to face him.

"Go home to Dr. Jones Carly." He put his hands on her hips to push her away.

"No, " smiling in triumph she pulled his head down to hers.

For a second he gave into the kiss, he hadn't been lying earlier he was a flesh and blood man, and he was lonely. He had just now been kissed twice in the past hour and before that it had been months. But this kiss was different, it didn't make him feel like Elizabeth's had in fact it didn't make him feel anything at all, even the fire that he and Carly once had, seemed to be gone. This time when she kissed him he felt nothing, just like when Keshia had kissed him after the accident, he felt nothing for her.

Elizabeth walked down the stairs; she had given what Johnny said a lot of thought. He was right, Jason did mess up at times but she knew his heart was in the right place. Besides she couldn't help it, jerk or not she loved Jason Morgan.

Looking over at the office she felt her heart break. Jason was kissing some blonde, she stood there staring, unable to turn away from the sight. She sucked in a breath and with it came all the pain that she felt at that moment.

Jason broke the kiss, "Carly," he said with a sigh he knew this was going to hurt her.

"What Jason? Our connection is still there, just like that last time we slept together, heck every time we slept together even when we didn't even know each other's names. This connection will always be there, even the saint knew that," Carly said with a grin, her words carrying to Elizabeth.

His body tightened when he felt the weight of her gaze, his head whipped up and locked on Elizabeth's pale face. For a second he could read the hurt and pain in her face before she closed it off and began to move towards the door."

"Elizabeth," Jason brushed past a forgotten Carly, "wait let me explain."

Elizabeth sped up, hoping to make it to her car before she made a total ass out of herself by bursting into tears in front of him. Her hand was reaching out with her keys to unlock the door when his hand came down on her arm.

"Elizabeth let me explain."

"I think we've said it all Jason." She refused to look at him, "It looks like your own personal itch scratcher showed up just in time." She jerked her arm from his hold and dropped her keys in the process. She bent down to retrieve them, Jason's hand closed over them an instant before hers did.

"That's not what she is," He was desperate to explain, for once he wanted to explain something and she wouldn't listen to him.

"Whatever, I don't need to hear it, its none of my business. Can I have my keys?" She asked getting to her feet, and holding out her hand to him.

"Please," he said softly taking her outstretched hand.

Elizabeth looked down at their joined hands and felt herself weaken, "Jason."

"Hey Jase," Carly called from the garage.

She jerked her arm back, how could she have forgotten? Taking advantage of his surprised expression she snatched the keys from his hand. "I'm glad you won't be lonely tonight, maybe being with her will put you in a better mood." The words began tumbling faster out of her mouth. "I need to leave now, I have a date with Danny, so it looks like both of out love lives are improving, isn't that great?" she opened her door and all but jumped in the car.

Jason caught the door before she could close it, "This isn't over Elizabeth."

"Jase," Carly called again.

Elizabeth looked at him then, and let him see the hurt and anger in her eyes, "Your date's waiting," she said starting her car.

He jumped back as the door was ripped out of his hands and closed. This isn't over Elizabeth, he thought watching her car, not by a long shot.

__

Song Credits: Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music

Reproduction from the movie Grease 2

REPLY PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	3. Rum, Rum, and more Rum

****

Bikes, Cars & Submarines

Chapter 2

****

~Garage~

"Jase?" Carly over to him in concern, he had been staring after her car for five minutes.

Sighing heavily he turned to face her. "Go home Carly," he ordered before heading to the garage.

Carly glared after him for a minute, home? I don't think so, she thought following him. She glanced around the shop and checked the office but didn't see him. Then she heard the creak of the pipes of the shower being turned on upstairs. "Perfect," she said with a smile and headed for the stairs, hitting the switch to close the garage door as she walked by.

****

~Penthouse 4~

"Alexis Davis," Johnny opened the door to announce her to Sonny.

"Thank you Johnny," Alexis smiled at the guard before walking into the room and setting her briefcase on the desk.

"Twice in one day Alexis? People are going to start thinking that you like me." Sonny walked out of the kitchen, a towel draped over his shoulder.

"It's not by choice I assure you," slipping on her glasses she opened her briefcase. "Jimmy Lee Holt, sent those contracts you requested. I thought we weren't going to have them until Monday, but a messenger delivered them to me today." She held out the file to Sonny, "So if you sign them, we can close the deal at the beginning of next week."

He took the file from her. "Would you like a drink?" He smiled, showing off his dimples.

"No, I'm not staying," she held out a pen, "Sign."

"What's the rush Alexis?" He asked setting the file on the desk and moving to the bar to pour himself a drink.

She followed him still holding out the pen. "Contrary to popular belief Sonny, I do have better ways to spend a Saturday night."

Sonny paused to look at her, "Really are microwave popcorn, and the 5th Dimension horror flicks calling your name again?" he teased.

Alexis pulled off her glasses to glare at him, what was with him tonight? "Sign the papers Sonny. I'm already charging you double for making me work on the weekend, you keep me here after 6:00 and it goes to triple."

"Well you better get your calculator then," he told her picking up the thick file and moving to the couch. "Because I never sign anything without reading it first.

She followed him with a frown. "Sonny it's the same contract you approved three weeks ago, sign it and let's be done."

He just opened the file. "Are you sure you don't want a drink this will take a while?"

"Fine read it, I'll be back later and pick it up." She said huffily heading for her briefcase.

"Wait Alexis, I need you here, I might have some questions for you."

"Well note them, and I will answer them later." Not breaking stride she headed for the door.

"Not good enough, I want you," Sonny kept his eye on the file. "Besides I am still the client right?"

She paused at the door, damn ethics, she thought resting her head against the door briefly, before turning. "Fine Corinthos, shut up and read, because this is going to cost you big." Grumbling she walked to the desk and picked up the phone. She glared at the back of his head as it rang, "Jax Hi, it looks like I can't make dinner after all."

Sonny grinned, gotcha candy boy.

****

~Elizabeth's Apartment~

Elizabeth let herself into her apartment and leaned against the door for a minute in relief, she had broken so many traffic laws in her haste to get home and away from him that it was a wonder she wasn't dead or arrested.

Jason, she groaned, there she went thinking about him. Hadn't she spent the whole drive home vowing never to think about him again? She glanced at the clock on the wall, she was improving she had made it a whole 2 minutes that time.

She walked to the connecting door and opened it exposing her studio. Moving into her retreat, she searched for the peace she always felt in here, but it seemed to be missing today. With a groan she moved to her easel. Her latest work, she had been trying to capture a dream on canvas, and she had failed miserably. She was failing at a lot of things lately.

A nearby sketchbook caught her eye and she idly flipped it open. It was her bad luck, that that particular sketchbook was her Jason Morgan one. She flipped through it, page after page of Jason Morgan, sometimes it was just his hands, or his eyes, standing, working, on his motorcycle, playing pool, nothing but images of him. She shook her head in disbelief, and she called Lurky a stalker, what the hell was she?

"No more." She headed for the door carrying her sketchbook with her. Letting herself out of her apartment she headed for the trash chute at the end of the hall. Before she could change her mind she opened the bin and stuck the sketchbook in it, but she couldn't seem to let go of it.

Frowning again she pulled it back out, there was a lot of good work in here, it would be a shame to lose it, she reasoned. Opening the pad again she lightly ran her finger over Jason's face on the paper.

But just who the hell will I ever show it too? That nasty little thought entered her head and Elizabeth closed the cover again. She needed a clean break, she needed to end the dream. Opening the bin she stuck the pad in again, but still couldn't bring herself to let go.

How was she supposed to end a dream, when everything in her was screaming at her not too? She could continue on, while he played with Carly, and be content with whatever he threw her way, she could keep the book if she wanted that life.

Or she could grow up and put the fantasy away and drop the pad and him from her life once and for all. All she had to do was let go, let go of Jason. 

How long she stood there, before heading back to her apartment she didn't know. Elizabeth closed the door and brought her empty hands up to scrub at her face, brushing the tears she wasn't even aware of away from her face, it was for the best.

"Okay he's gone now," she murmured softly before moving to the phone and quickly dialing a number before she had the chance to think about it.

"Danny, Hi! It's Elizabeth." She said brightly pausing for his response. "I know it's late notice but if your invitation for tonight still stands I would like to change my answer to yes." She could do this it wasn't that hard to get the words out.

"Okay let Nikolas and Emily know and I will see you around 8:00," Elizabeth hung up the phone and moved to the window. She could get over Jason, after all how hard could it be? They had never even started.

****

~Garage~

When Jason walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel, and scrubbing with another one at his short blonde hair, he knew immediately that he wasn't alone. Sighing he kept his back to her when the heavy scent of her perfume reached him, "I told you to go home Carly."

"Since when do I take orders?" Carly asked from her spot in his bed.

He walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers and slipped them on before letting the towel fall away. "Carly don't do this to yourself," he glanced at her briefly before moving to the closet.

"I'm not doing anything to myself Jason." She rolled on her side exposing a long bare leg. "I'm going to let you do that."

He pulled on a pair of deep brown Dockers and then a matching brown t-shirt. "Carly nothing is going to happened between us, you're my friend and that's it." 

"We've never been just friends Jase."

"Carly have some respect for yourself," he sat on the bed to pull on his socks, and boots.

She sat up, pressing her naked front into his back and nuzzled his neck. "So are you trying to tell me you don't feel anything when I do this?"

Those words hit him in the gut, they were the same he used on Elizabeth earlier. Immediately a picture of her face the last time he saw her entered his head and he jerked away from Carly and turned to face her. "Carly go home and don't do this again." He said coldly.

Carly looked up at him his eyes were locked on hers, he had never even glanced down at her nakedness. His eyes were cold, no not cold, empty, like he felt nothing for her. A prickle of uneasiness went down Carly's spine, "Does this have anything to do with that Webber girl?"

He ignored her, and fastened his watch.

"It does." She cried getting out of bed and beginning to pull her clothes on, "you can't be serious about that little grease monkey."

Jason kept quiet and put his wallet in his back pocket, he knew Carly. If he made a big deal about Elizabeth, Carly would be all over her and he didn't want that.

"What is it with you and petite brunettes?" she asked zipping up her dress.

"Carly leave. You're my friend but if you keep pulling this crap you won't be anymore." He opened the door leading to the hall.

Bent over at the waist she pulled a comb through her hair. "Jase you know sooner or later we'll end up back here, the Saint couldn't satisfy you, I doubt the grease ball even has a clue at what it would take to satisfy you. My God have you really even looked at her, the only one even interested in her is my pathetic loser of a cousin. But I will tell you one thing, if she doesn't keep her mouth shut about what she saw earlier, she will regret it." Finishing her threat she stood upright, flipped her hair back and was startled to find a livid Jason standing in front of her.

He caught her arms when she tried to back up. "You watch what you say about or to Elizabeth." Jason said quietly. The quietness of the tone was made that much more intense by the cold anger in his eyes. "You do not want to push me on this, Carly, you won't like it if you do."

Seeing the serious look on his face, Carly actually felt fear. God he had never spoken to her like that. Not even when she went after Robin, or tried to blackmail him. Her dislike of Elizabeth Webber hardened into hatred at that moment. "Easy Jase," she offered a smile, trying to calm him.

"I meant what I said Carly." His eyes pierced hers one more time before he turned and left the room.

"Well Elizabeth, you and I are going to have to have a talk, because there is no way in hell, I will let you have him." Carly vowed before following him out of the room.

****

~Apartment~

"Elizabeth open up I know you're in there."

Groaning Elizabeth closed the lid on her mascara and headed to the pounding coming from her door. "There's no need to shout Emily, I'm right here," she called through the door before opening it to face her friend.

"What's going on? I called and called why didn't you pick up?" Emily demanded entering the apartment in a rush

"Sorry I needed a shower, I guess I didn't hear the phone." Elizabeth dabbed some perfume behind her ear. "What's up?"

"What's up? You have the nerve to ask me that?" Emily stared at her friend in disbelief, "Why did Danny call Nikolas to say we were all going out tonight? I thought you weren't going to see him again."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I changed my mind, no big deal."

"No big deal, what the hell is going on?"

"What so now I'm not allowed to date? I don't remember making you my parent, my own never had use for me, but I don't think I need a parent at this stage in my life, thank you very much," Elizabeth said bitchily.

"Of course you can date, but what about Jason?"

"What about him?" Elizabeth asked turning away to select her earrings.

"What about…you're in love with him. Why are you dating Danny?" Emily demanded she wondered if her friend had had some sort of episode.

"Long or short?" Elizabeth asked holding up two different earrings and earning herself a death ray look from Emily. "No I am not in love with Jason." Liar. "I only thought I was and now that I know the truth I have decided to move on. Danny's cute so I'm going out with him. So long or short?"

"Not in love," Emily shook her head and glared at Elizabeth. "What happened?"

"Short I think." 

"Elizabeth Imogene Webber talk to me!"

"He kissed me," she moved into her studio to look for the other earring.

"What?" Emily yelled following her into the room.

"He kissed me," she repeated.

"That's great." Emily said with a smile, before cocking her head to study Elizabeth's face, "Isn't it?"

"No." Elizabeth sighed and continued, "The only reason he did it was because I told him that Danny was a better kisser than him. He didn't really want to kiss me, he only did to prove a point."

"Maybe, but how was it?" Emily asked desperate for details resting her chin on her hands and leaning against a table.

"It was…everything and more than I ever dreamed. His lips were so soft and firm against mine, he was so powerful yet gentle, the world could have ended and I would never have even noticed." Elizabeth smiled at the memory, "Then he broke the kiss and apologized."

"He what?" caught up in the image of the kiss Emily almost missed that last remark, as it was it surprised her enough her head fell off her hands.

"He said he was sorry he kissed me," Elizabeth said sadly.

Emily groaned, "My brother is such an ass," pausing she wrinkled her nose. "What is that smell?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Turpentine. It doesn't really matter it's time for me to let go of Jason, and I am going to do that starting tonight."

"Just because he was an idiot doesn't mean you should give up on him." She caught another whiff. "No it's not turpentine, what is it?"

"Found it," Elizabeth held up her earring, "it doesn't matter Em, Jason doesn't want me, let's go." She took Emily's arm trying to get her out of the studio.

"No," Emily pulled her arm free. "You two are meant for each other. You knew this wasn't going to be easy, I can't believe your turning tail and running at the first sign of success. And that was what this was success, he kissed you."

"I had a wake up call Em, he doesn't want me." Emily shook her head but before she could speak Elizabeth hurried on. "Yes the kiss was amazingly intense, but Jason told me he hadn't been with a woman in a very long time, I provoked him and all of his pent up emotions were released."

"I don't buy that," Emily argued glancing around the room trying to place that smell, was it barbeque sauce?

Elizabeth really hadn't wanted to tell Emily what an idiot she had been but it looked like she had not choice. "Emily it is true, I know that for a fact," Elizabeth took a deep breath and continued, "because less than an hour later I saw him kissing someone else."

Emily paused in her exploration, and looked at Elizabeth in shock, "No way."

"Yes and from the looks of it, it was hardly the first time, either."

"You mean he lied to you?"

"No," Elizabeth said immediately. "I believe him when he says he hasn't been with anyone in a awhile, but he has definitely been with her before, and she was more than willing to pick it up again," she smiled bitterly. "I guess I warmed him up for her."

"Who is the skank?" Emily demanded. "I'm gonna kill her."

She couldn't help but be amused by her friend's loyalty. "It doesn't matter, it's not me he wants."

Emily paused by a table loaded with paints and sketchbooks. "So that's it you're going to let her win?"

"Emily, Jason is a person, not a game, I couldn't win him if I tried."

Emily waved away the words. "You know what I mean, are you giving up?"

"There's nothing to give up on, not really," hugging her arms around her middle she looked out the window at the docks. "What we had were a couple of kisses, one that I provoked and the other, well that one was even worse, him wanting me to be someone else. Anything else I thought was going on was just that, thoughts, nothing was really happening between us." She shook her head. "I've been having delusions even thinking it could be more, but no more."

"So that's it then your quitting? I never knew you were a quitter," Emily taunted.

Elizabeth turned to glare at Emily. "I'm not a quitter, I'm a realist. Jason will never be more than my boss and my friend, now let's go we have dates waiting for us."

At her words she heard a knock on the door in the other room. Emily sighed and looked down at the table, "What happened to this it stinks?" she asked pointing to a sketchbook that had grease stains and smudges on it.

"I dropped it. Come on Emily we don't want to keep them waiting." Elizabeth said heading for the door.

"Where in the trash bin?" Emily muttered flipping the cover open and seeing her brother's face staring up at her. "So you really have no hope for you and Jason."

"None whatsoever, I'm not even going to think about him anymore."

Right, Emily thought closing the sketchbook and following her friend out of the room.

****

~Penthouse 4~

Alexis glared at Sonny before taking another sip of her Brandy. Damn the man he had kept her here for over two hours and had yet to ask her a question about the contract. She could kill him for that alone, but when you added the amazing smell coming from the kitchen… she truly wanted to murder him. Her stomach had been letting her know that she had ignored it for far too long. As if waiting for that thought, it growled again this time very loudly.

"Hungry Alexis?"

"Sonny, it's after 8:00 and you blew my dinner date, gee I wonder why I would be hungry." She said tartly to cover her embarrassment.

Getting up from the couch he moved towards the kitchen. "The lasagna should be ready now, so let's eat."

She stared after him, even angrier now if that was possible, eat, with him, now! God that man was clueless sometimes she thought with a shake of her head.

A few minutes, and several more growls later, Sonny walked over to her and held out his hand. Cocking her head she peered up at him, when he smiled down at her. Damn those dimples she thought grudgingly taking his hand and allowing him to lead her to the table.

She took a sip of her wine as Sonny served the lasagna, he had gotten things ready quick enough, in fact…

"Do you want some salad?" Sonny asked interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes," she dug hungrily into her food. God but the man could cook. "Do you have any questions about the contracts?"

"No," he smirked. "Basically we got Holt over a barrel, we'll get the firm for 15% less than current market value. And of course old Edward isn't going to like that I beat him to it and bought the company."

Alexis quit eating and stared at Sonny, "That's what really matters to you doesn't it?"

"What?"

"Winning. Taking on and beating Edward and using his own family to do it, that means more to you than an electronics firm in Houston."

"I like challenges and I like to win. You're the same way," he lifted his glass towards her in salute. "That's why we get along so well."

She glared at him, the light reflecting off her glasses, she had forgotten to take them off again, "Maybe."

"There is no maybe about it Alexis, you thrive on winning. I've watched you, you enjoy it so much, the power, the thrill, Dara Jensen the pride of the DA's office has never beaten you. Justus Ward never beat you, the ELQ attorneys don't even bother you, Baldwin, even Helena's boys can't touch, and you love it," he leaned closer to her, his dark eyes blazing in intensity.

She smiled at the words she could see the truth in them, "You never want to lose a challenge when it comes to the law, the risks are to high."

"Well to me everything is a challenge, and I refuse to lose." He said with a sly smile.

Sometimes he reminded her so much of Jax it was scary, Jax. Alexis's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in thought, "Of course, I am such an idiot," she murmured to herself.

"What?"

"You didn't want me here for those contracts, you just didn't want me to meet Jax," Alexis slammed her drink down.

"Now how was I to know those contracts were going to come today?" He took a sip of his wine. "The dinner is just a thanks, for staying."

"Bull," Alexis got to her feet and glared down at him, "I bet if I were to call Holt I would find out you asked for those papers today."

"Alexis I'm hurt," Sonny placed his hand over his heart, "call him if you have too."

She all but growled in frustration. "Why? You would have covered your tracks like always."

Leaning down, she brought face inches from his. "But I know you Corinthos, this was a set-up, the next round in this one-upmanship game you have with Jax. But it's gone to far, I am not going to be the bone you two fight over, not anymore. This was a mistake, and your going to pay for it." With that she turned and headed for the door.

"Alexis wait," He called after her.

She opened the door. "Francis, you work for an idiot, I thought you should know that." She said walking past him to her own apartment.

Sonny glared at a smirking Francis and caught her at her door. "Alexis wait what is wrong about wanting to spend a little time together outside of work?"

Alexis shook her head and opened the door.

"Surprise," Jax called when Alexis walked into the room. Alexis paused and looked at the table set up in her living room that was laden with food, and the three servers waiting patiently beside the table. "You couldn't meet me for dinner, so I brought the dinner to you."

Alexis spied a violinist. "Jax, you really shouldn't have," she managed a weak smile.

Yeah you shouldn't have Sonny thought darkly.

Checkmate, Jax thought smirking at Sonny.

****

~Luke's~

"So what can I get you to drink?" Danny asked pulling out Elizabeth's chair for her. Nikolas and Emily had paused to talk to her cousin Ned Ashton and his wife Lois, so it was just them.

"I feel like something new."

"Like what?" he asked leaning in to hear over the music.

"Surprise me, I can drink anything as long as there is no…"

"Claude you are fired," Luke Spencer yelled heading into the kitchen after hearing a crash.

Danny looked at her, his eyebrows raised in a question.

"Don't worry if Claude isn't fired at least twice a day he feels neglected." Elizabeth explained with a laugh.

He nodded, "How about a Hurricane?"

"Sounds good."

Danny headed for the bar to get their drinks, and she couldn't help but watch him go, he did have a nice butt. It wasn't perfect but that was reserved for…Damn, she sighed and glanced at her watch 6 minutes 33 seconds in between thoughts of him, at this rate she would stop thinking of Jason just shy of never.

She forced a smile when Danny came back to her table with the drinks. She eyed the drink with a little trepidation, it was orangish in color, in a glass that was long and curved like a vase. Shrugging she picked it up, bringing it over to Danny's "To Saturday nights."

He smiled and clinked his glass on hers.

She took a sip and tasted fruit but not much else, she wrinkled her nose in distaste, but seeing Danny watching her she took a long sip from her straw.

"Do you like it?"

"It's different," Elizabeth said stalling, "what's in it?"

"A mix of juices and a 7 mixture combination of…"

"Claude you are so dead." Luke yelled bursting out of the kitchen a second before something hit the door behind him, "and don't think I didn't see you throw that. What?" he demanded to a couple who were staring at him, before scanning the bar. He caught sight of Elizabeth and ambled up to their table. "Hello Darlin."

"Hi Luke," she said with a genuine smile, she really liked Luke, how he could have produced an offspring like Lurky totally baffled her.

"So are you here to put my son out of his misery?" Luke asked resting his foot on the chair.

"What does the ground look like Luke?" She asked taking another, longer sip from her straw, this wasn't so bad once you got past that first sip.

"What?"

"Well once the ground and everything else is frozen then you'll know I'm here for him," she paused grinning up at him, "oh wait you stopped that whole frozen world thing from happening, so I guess the answer will be never."

Luke laughed and pulled out a cigar. "Well at least you ain't with Morgan."

Her eyes dimmed and she took a long sip of her drink, "Nope Danny," she gestured to her date. "What's wrong Luke, still mad at him, because he quit doing the books?"

Luke ignored her question. "Danny huh? Danny who?" Another crash sounded from the kitchen, "Excuse me darlin I have to go kill someone."

Elizabeth laughed and continued sipping her drink.

"Sorry we took so long," Emily slid into the chair Nikolas held out for her. "Sometimes Lois doesn't know when to shut up, besides Nikolas didn't want to come over here when Luke was here, he's scared of him."

"I didn't know what you guys wanted so I didn't get you anything," Danny informed them.

"No problem," Nikolas said with a grin. "I'll get it, besides the girl here can only have soda," he said teasing her in retaliation for the Luke remark.

"Only for a few more months, then watch out." Emily leaned over to kiss him.

"Don't they just make you sick?" Elizabeth asked

"I know sometimes they are a real pain to be around," Danny agreed.

"Okay I heard that," Emily looked over at them, while Nikolas headed for the bar. "Elizabeth what are you drinking?"

"A Hurricane, Danny recommended it, and you know what? It keeps getting better and better." She reached for her glass, and frowned when Emily jerked it away from her. "Hey!"

"You bought her a Hurricane?" Emily asked Danny.

"Yes."

"Hurricanes have rum in them."

"Yeah so?" Danny said confused, as to what was the big deal.

"Elizabeth can't have rum, didn't she tell you that?" Emily studied the nearly empty glass, before setting it on the table, and glare at him again.

Nikolas walked back with their drinks and saw her angry face. "Problem?"

"Your friend over there gave Elizabeth rum," Emily all but snarled the words.

"So?" Nikolas asked.

Elizabeth leaned forward and inched her hands towards her glass, while Emily's attention was diverted. Danny watched her in amusement, and almost laughed when she turned to him and put her finger to her lips to shush him.

"Elizabeth can't handle rum, not even a swallow of it, it's like she is allergic to it." Emily said just as Elizabeth's hand closed on the glass.

Danny heard that and pulled the glass out of her hand, "Do we need to get her to a hospital?"

Elizabeth slumped back in her seat and pouted.

"No it's not like that, it's hard to explain," Emily paused watching as Elizabeth's eyes glazed over, oh God it was starting.

"Emily relax, I have seen Elizabeth drink before and she has never have a problem, and if she gets a little tipsy we'll be here for her how bad can it be?" Nikolas said trying to reassure her, Emily was making a big deal out of nothing. "Besides she didn't even finish her drink."

Emily shook her head, if they only knew, she paused well they were about to find out.

"Hi guys, I thought I recognized your car Nikolas," Lucky called loudly walking to their table, "I didn't know you guys were going to be here tonight, you should have told me, okay if I join you?" he asked already pulling up another chair and sitting by Elizabeth.

Emily watched Elizabeth look at Lucky, and saw the strange look come into Elizabeth's eyes while she stared at him. "Brace yourselves," she warned Nikolas with a grin.

"So Lurky," Elizabeth patted his hand, "I need you to settle a bet for me, exactly how many times were you dropped on your head as a child?"


	4. Your butt is ringing

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 3

****

~Penthouse 2~

"I knew that you would be hungry," Jax crossed to Alexis and kissed her cheek, before smirking at Sonny and leading her away from him.

"Actually Jasper," Sonny kicked the door closed and followed them into the room. "She just ate with me, right Alexis?"

"Well," Alexis began looking up at Jax.

"I'm sure she still has room for dessert, especially when it is the Double Dutch Chocolate Cake she loves from that bakery in Soho." Jax interrupted her. "You always have room for that right Alexis?"

"Well…"

"What a surprise another grand gesture from the king of grand gestures." Sonny brought his hands together and clapped lightly. "All hail the king of flash and substance."

"Well we can't all be control freaks with a penchant for getting everyone killed, now can we?" Jax asked edging closer to Sonny.

"Tell that to your first wife Miranda, didn't she fake her death just to get rid of you?" Sonny asked with a sneer.

Jax's smile faded. "Fake being the operative word Corinthos, your wife wasn't as lucky."

"Now boys let's not be like this," Alexis stepped in between the two men trying to head off the fight.

"Watch it Jasper," Sonny took Alexis's arm and pulled her gently out of the way while continuing to glare at Jax, "you don't want to get in my face about that."

"Get used to me being in your face Corinthos." Jax leaned towards him, "As long as you insist on dragging Alexis into your world I am going to be in your face."

Sonny grinned and rocked on the balls of his feet. "Still wanting to play white Knight candy boy? Don't you know by now that nobody drags Alexis anywhere?"

"She'll get tired of you soon enough, hopefully before she gets shot while standing next to you."

"Isn't that what you did to Brenda, she got shot standing next to you Jax." Sonny taunted.

"And when she was with you it was an Ouzi in the shower wasn't it?" Jax retorted. "Your presence here is no longer needed, leave Sonny."

"I'll leave when Alexis tells me to, and I don't hear her saying that Jax."

"Tell him to leave Alexis," Jax ordered his eyes never leaving Sonny's.

"Yeah tell me Alexis."

"Alexis?" Jax asked looking around, when she didn't answer.

Sonny glanced around as well, she wasn't in the apartment. "Did you see where she went?" Sonny asked one of the waiters.

"She left."

"What?" Jax demanded.

Sonny headed for the door and called for Francis.

"Yes?" Francis asked a little nervously.

"Did you see Alexis leave?"

"Yes."

"God Corinthos aren't any of your goons capable of more than one word answers?" Jax asked irritably from behind him. "Did she say anything?"

Francis looked at Sonny who nodded he hoped he could do this. "She said for me to tell you two that she hoped you enjoyed your date."

Sonny turned and glared at Jax. "This is all your fault," they said in unison, while Francis bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

****

~Luke's~

"What?" Lucky cried, while Nikolas spit out his drink in shock.

"I said how many time have you been dropped….Ow you kicked me," Elizabeth glared at Emily.

"Sorry," Emily tried hard not to laugh. Lucky's face had turned bright red his mouth was open in the shape of an O and he was sucking in air. He looked like a blowfish that had gotten trapped on land.

Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at Emily. "So how many times?"

Lucky stared at her in surprise then appeared to be giving her question some serious thought, before shaking his head in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Well," Elizabeth drawled, putting her elbows on the table and studying him, "Johnny says 7 times, Francis says 5, Emily, well out of respect for my leg I won't tell you how many times she thought you'd been dumped on your head. Nikolas there thinks you were never dropped, that it was just a biological fact from Luke, I, however, think it was once," she turned to Lucky again. "So how many?"

"I tried to warn you, but oh no you knew better," Emily hissed to Nikolas.

"Is she always like this?"

"She's just getting warmed up, imagine someone who says everything they think without caring for the consequences, and you will see what we are in for."

"Why do you think I got dropped on my head?" Lucky asked finally.

Elizabeth stared at him in surprise for a second, before letting out a laugh, "God Nikolas you were right, you won the pool." Nikolas laughed as well, pulling away from Emily when she elbowed him in the ribs, Danny looked at them in amusement, and then even Lucky laughed, and hat was enough for Emily who lost it.

"Hey that's my drink," Elizabeth cried with a frown, when Nikolas set her drink on the tray of a passing waitress.

"You can't have it, it has rum in it."

"No, No, No, I told Danny I couldn't have rum, so give me back my drink."

"What?" Emily demanded her angry gaze finding Danny again. "Why did you do that?"

"Lurky." Elizabeth whispered poking Lucky in the side. "Get my drink." She pointed to the waitress behind him.

"I don't think that would be wise," Lucky whispered.

Elizabeth leaned in closer to him, "Please." 

Lucky's eyes glazed and he turned around and picked up her drink off the tray and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she said before sucking up the rest of the drink through the straw.

Emily looked over when she heard the slurping sound of a straw on an empty glass, "Elizabeth."

"What? Lurky gave it to me."

Emily swatted the back of Lucky's head, knocking him into the table. "She can't have rum."

Lucky blinked away the tears in his eyes. "Sorry."

"Does coffee help?" Nikolas asked.

"Nope only time, I hope she doesn't get me arrested again." Emily muttered.

"What?"

"Slut at 3:00 o'clock," Elizabeth said loudly looking at the door.

The others at the table turned to see who had come in. Emily's eyes narrowed in speculation when she recognized Carly.

Carly stuck her arm through Tony's and surveyed the room, her eyes coming to rest on Elizabeth. Perfect, tonight she'd settle some things with the grease ball.

"Come dance with me," Elizabeth stood up and took Danny's hand.

"I'm not much of a dancer."

"I'll go," Lucky shot to his feet, knocking his chair backwards into Amy Vining who turned around and glared at him.

Elizabeth looked down at Danny and yanked hard on his hand. "You got me in to this shape, now move your ass."

Danny followed her to the small dance floor, and they began to move slightly to the music, his hold on her tightened when she began to sway a bit to far to the right, "You know your drunk right?"

"Yes, but I don't think of it that way," Elizabeth said to the middle Danny of the three that were holding her. "I think of it has having my muzzle removed."

Danny laughed. "Should I be worried?"

"Yes," she answered seriously.

****

~Table~

"What do you mean arrested?" Nikolas demanded.

"Remember when I went to Mexico with her over Spring Break?"

Nikolas nodded and Emily took a drink of her soda, stalling.

"Well Elizabeth accidentally had a half of glass of rum punch, and sort of started this fight that caused about $3 grand in damage and landed us in jail," Emily giggled. "It was an interesting experience."

"Why didn't you tell me, how did you get out?" Nikolas asked horrified.

"We called Jason, he showed up, paid the fines and the owner of the bar, and got us out."

Nikolas shook his head and studied Elizabeth she looked so small. "How did she start the fight?"

"To this day she doesn't remember, that's just it she never remembers a thing when she has rum. That's how she got her tattoo too."

"You mean the dragon?" Lucky asked.

"Yes," Emily looked at him puzzled, how did he know about that? "Anyway she just woke up with the tattoo, she'll never know how, why or who."

"Really?" Lucky's eyes took on a speculative gleam.

****

~Dance Floor~

They finished their dance and were heading for the table when Elizabeth turned suddenly and headed for the bar instead. "I can't handle Lurky," she told Danny when he sat down beside her.

"Lurky? I thought his name was Lucky."

"He's Lurky my stalker, you know I made up a rhyme about him do you want to hear it?" Elizabeth asked her eyes dancing.

Danny nodded.

"Okay. One, two Lurky's coming for you; three, four better lock your door; five, six…"

"What can I get you?" Claude asked them.

"Claude you made me lose it." Elizabeth cried with a grimace.

"Think about it I'll be right back," Claude told her before moving off.

"So what can you drink, since you can't have rum?" Danny asked, "Sorry." He said to the woman who bumped into him.

"I don't know I like rum."

Claude came back a few minutes later and set a glass in front of her. "From the blonde at the end of the bar."

Elizabeth looked at the drink it was pale yellow in color, she glanced down the bar but didn't see any blonde, especially not the blonde she wanted to see the most. She looked at her watch. "2 minutes 12 seconds."

"What?"

"Nothing." She replied immediately taking a drink, "ohhh nice."

Danny saw her expression and stopped Claude, "What's in this?"

"Pineapple juice and Parrot Bay Rum."

Danny groaned and took the glass from her. Elizabeth looked down the bar again her eyes locking on Carly.

****

~Table~

"Hello."

__

"Emily its Jason."

It was about time. "Hey Jason, what's up?"

__

"Have you seen Elizabeth?" Jason asked reluctantly he had looked everywhere for her, but couldn't find her anywhere. He had finally decided to call Emily instead of breaking into her apartment. Somehow he didn't think she would like that.

"She doesn't want to see you, big brother, you messed up."

__

Great Jason thought with a groan, was there nothing his sister didn't know? "Emily just tell me where she is." Jason demanded getting on his bike.

"I can't tell you that," Emily paused then called out loudly, "Hey Luke how about some service over here? Sorry Jason you were saying?" She asked into her phone, but he was gone. Emily smiled to herself that went well.

****

~Bar~

"Excuse me Danny," Elizabeth got up and headed for the ladies room, her eyes never leaving Carly's.

Carly waited a beat and then followed her into the ladies room. Locking the door behind her she focused on Elizabeth who was sitting on the vanity table looking at her.

"We need to get a few things straight." Carly began walking over to her.

"This ought to be interesting," Elizabeth gave an exaggerated yawn. "You know you really should get your roots done."

"Shut up you little twit," Carly waved a finger in Elizabeth's face. "You keep your trap shut about what you saw this afternoon."

"Carly you really don't want to shove your finger in my face."

"Also you stay the hell away from my man."

"Thanks for the warning but tall, heavy, and frightfully boring doctors aren't my type."

"Listen to me little girl, and listen good," Carly advanced on her, poking her shoulder for emphasis.

"Carly I only warn once."

"You stay the hell away from Jason, or I will rip you apart." Carly pointed at her again.

****

~Club~

"Hi Sonny, Francis," Emily paused on her way to the bathroom, to say hello to them when they entered the club.

"Emily, how have you been."

"Good, and you?"

Sonny took off for the bathroom when a scream pierced the restaurant, killing the conversation instantly. Francis reached the door a second before Sonny as another scream sounded. He was reaching for the doorknob, when the door opened and an amused Elizabeth walked out. 

"Hi Francis, Hi Mr. Coronados, no Corrinatha, no Cor," Elizabeth smirked and gave up. "Hi Mr. C."

"Are you okay?" Sonny asked in concern, noting her unfocused eyes.

"That psycho bit me," Carly screeched, holding her hand.

"What?" She saw his frown. "I was good, I gave her a warning first. It's not my fault if she is too stupid to listen to warnings." Elizabeth brushed past him and entered the club again.

"Are you okay?" Lucky asked appearing at her side.

Elizabeth jerked her head to look at him and the room spun. "Lurky will you quit doing that."

"My name is Lucky. Here have a drink," He said moving in front of her and thrusting it in her hand.

"What is it?"

"It's uh Sex on the Beach."

"Cool," she eyed the drink with interest. "What's in it?"

"Kaluah," Lucky said, and rum he thought to himself.

Shrugging she started to take a drink, just as someone shoved her hard from behind, sending her flying into Lucky and spilling the drink all over him. She managed to catch her balance, but Lucky didn't live up to his name and he flew backwards and crashed headfirst in the doorway and knocked himself out.

Elizabeth turned to look at Carly, while others rushed towards a prone Lucky. "What is your problem?"

"You are you little twit." She cried grabbing Elizabeth's wrist.

Elizabeth broke the hold easily. "You need to get to the gym more if you want to be intimidating, your grip is weak, and your arms are flabby as hell."

Carly saw red. "I'm in great shape, I am a physical therapist."

"If you say so," Elizabeth circled Carly, "but I'd tone up if I were you, you know the good doctor has already dumped his wife for a younger model once, it's only time before he trades again."

"You little bitch," Carly raised her hand to slap her.

Elizabeth caught her hand easily, enough and stopped the momentum while Carly's arm was still in the air. Carly's eyes widened in disbelief, when she felt the strength in the smaller woman, then she felt herself go flying backwards when Elizabeth shoved her hard.

Carly staggered back towards her, and Sonny moved in between the two women. "Carly you need to back off."

"Me it's the little gutter snipe that is causing all the damage."

"Goodbye Carly." Sonny turned his back on her. "Care to dance?" he asked Elizabeth and pulled her into a loose embrace, moving her away from Carly.

"God what does he see in her? She is so loud, bitchy, and destructive, why does he want her?" Her eyes locked on Carly who was now crying to Tony.

"He doesn't not anymore. It was never really her that he wanted," Sonny said quietly turning her so she couldn't see Carly anymore.

Elizabeth jerked her gaze to him. "So does Tony know that?" she asked trying to backtrack, she wasn't going to give away Jason's secret.

"Not Tony, Jason, he needed someone a while ago and it turned out to be her, but it was over a long time ago." Sonny said softly, he could see by the hurt in her eyes that she already knew about them.

"That's where you're wrong Sonny, it's still going on," Elizabeth sighed softly. "One minute 12."

"What?" Sonny asked confused by both of her statements, he looked over her shoulder when the door behind her opened.

Inhaling sharply she felt the familiar tingle dance down her spine. "Can I ask you something Mr. C?" she asked quietly her expression desperate.

Sonny looked down at her and nodded.

"How do you fall out of love? Can you tell me? Because I really want too."

Sonny shook his head sadly, remembering when another woman had asked him that. "I don't know baby."

"Hey Jason you missed the excitement," Emily gave her brother a hug, very pleased with the fact his eyes hadn't left Elizabeth since he walked in the door.

He looked around and saw a dazed Lucky moaning on the floor. "What happened?"

"Well it all started when Elizabeth bit Carly's finger."

"What?" Jason exclaimed looking at Emily.

"It wasn't her fault, Danny gave her rum, you know how she gets."

Jason's eyes darkened at the mention of Danny's name. "Who the hell is this Danny?" he demanded.

Emily hid a grin, he was so jealous. "Her date."

"So what else happened?" he asked, ignoring Emily's last words.

"Well Carly attacked her and Lucky got caught in the cross-fire." Emily caught his arm when he started to head for Elizabeth. "She's fine, in fact Carly was the one in for a surprise. I guess she thought because she was smaller she was weaker. She didn't know Elizabeth is a kickboxer."

His eyes latched on Elizabeth, watching Sonny lead her back to the bar, to sit beside some guy on a stool. "So she wasn't hurt?"

Emily wanted to kiss her brother then, he had never even glanced in Carly's direction or asked if she was hurt. "No Sonny stopped them before Elizabeth could kill her."

"Is that Danny?" Jason asked finally.

Emily turned around to look. "Yes."

"He looks like a punk. What do you know about him?" Jason asked. Wait what was he doing? Pumping his sister for information about Elizabeth's date. He didn't do this. What was wrong with him? He glared at Elizabeth it was all her fault, it had started yesterday, when she said she had a date.

Emily bit her lip to keep from laughing, he looked like he wanted to kill Danny, this was working out brilliantly. She was even going to forgive Danny for giving Elizabeth rum, because she knew something would happen tonight because of it. Elizabeth had very little control when it came to Jason at any time, and what little control she did have, would be obliterated by the rum.

"Danny I need you to do me a favor," Elizabeth put her hand on his thigh, as soon as Sonny moved away.

Jason saw where her hand landed and his gut clenched as he half listened to Emily.

"What do you need?" Danny asked putting his hand over hers.

Jason's expression slipped into a cold angry mask, his attention riveted to the couple at the bar.

"Whatever happens do not leave me alone with him," Elizabeth whispered, turning her hand to lace her fingers with his.

"Who?" Danny asked leaning closer to her.

"Him," she murmured meekly feeling him move up beside her.

Danny turned to look at the man who had come to a stop beside him, he swallowed hard when he saw the cold anger on his face. "D-do you need something?" he stammered.

Jason ignored him. "Elizabeth I need to talk to you alone."

"No you don't," Elizabeth refused to look at him.

"Elizabeth, please," Jason said softly.

"No," she shook her head and caused the room to spin. "Stop doing that."

"Are you okay?" Jason asked before turning to glare at Danny. "Leave us alone, you've done enough."

"Ok," Danny shot to his feet, and moved until he felt Elizabeth's fingers tighten their grip on his hand. "I mean uh, no," he finished weakly.

Jason turned and moved closer to Danny. "What?"

Danny swallowed hard and felt fear.

"Jason thank god you're here," Carly moved up to the trio, Tony had left her to call the hospital she needed to make this fast.

"Not now Carly," Jason never took his eyes from a very pale Danny.

"Yes now," Carly grabbed his arm and jerked him towards her, "Look what your little psycho grease monkey did to me," she cried waving a bandaged finger in his face.

"I told you to leave her alone."

"That's it? She bites me and it's all my fault?" Carly screeched.

"Yes," Jason replied. "I warned you to leave her alone."

"The bitch attacked me."

"You better shut up Carly, here comes Dr. Jones, we wouldn't want you to say something you will regret."

Carly's face turned red for a minute before she smoothed it out and smiled up at Tony, "Ready to go babe?" she asked kissing his cheek.

"Yes," he pulled on her arm, ignoring Jason entirely.

Jason turned back to Elizabeth but both her and Danny were gone.

****

~Park~

"Slow down," Danny paused by a fountain trying to catch his breath. "How can you run in those boots?"

Elizabeth glanced down at her heeled boots. "You'd be amazed what you can do when you're driven by fear of mortal embarrassment." Now that she had stopped, the alcohol caught up with her again and the park began to revolve around her.

Danny caught her when she fell and led her to a bench. "Are you okay?"

Elizabeth nodded and everything moved again, putting her hands up to her head, she tried to stop it from falling off. "Sorry about tonight."

"Hey it was better than last night," Danny said with a smile. "At least you know I'm here tonight."

"Poor guy, I bet this is the last time you let Nikolas fix you up," he really was a nice guy.

"So is Mr. Dangerous the reason you've managed to resist my charms?"

"Jason is nothing to me." Elizabeth snapped.

"So he's that important," Danny sighed. "I guess I knew that, it looks like another ship has sailed."

"I don't want him to be important, I want to like you," Elizabeth rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'd offer to beat him up for you, but you've seen the size of him, he'd kill me," he continued on when he heard her chuckle. "I faint at the sight of blood, especially my own."

She laughed and pulled away from him. "You're nice."

"Oh God, anything but nice. Nice is the kiss of death," he let out a groan.

She giggled. "Okay you are so bad, so scary, I got chills."

"Better, keep going."

"They're multiplying."

"Well if you feel the need to lose control aim in that direction." Danny said.

Elizabeth laughed, reached up and kissed him lightly on the mouth.

Jason came to a stop at the edge of the fountain; he had heard her laugh and followed the sound to her, just in time to see her kiss him. Sucking in a breath he turned around quickly before she saw him and forced himself to leave. He had to leave before he lost control and went over there and ripped Danny apart, and picked her up and took her with him. He had a feeling she wouldn't like that.

Pausing by the bike, he still felt tense, his hands clenched, his temper was longing for release. He hadn't felt this close to losing control in a very, very long time. He realized then that the last time he had almost lost it, it was Elizabeth who had stopped him, and now it was Elizabeth that was driving him out of control. He shook his head, he needed to get away, from her, from everything, it wasn't his place to tell her who to kiss. To tell her that she shouldn't be sitting on a bench kissing someone other than him. Whoa where did that come from?

"What was that for," Danny asked when she quickly pulled back and stood.

"It was a thank you."

"Anytime, are you ready to go home, I'll get us a cab."

Elizabeth nodded, took a step, and darkness began to claim her.

"Whoa," Danny caught her and eased her on the bench. "Why don't you wait here, I'll stop a cab, then come back for you okay?"

"Okie Dokie," she felt marvelously agreeable at the moment.

"Will you be okay?" Danny asked, "I'll just be beyond those bushes a couple of hundred yards away, if you need anything just yell."

"Go," her eyes were already drifting closed.

Danny stood over her for a minute and looked around the park, he didn't see or hear anyone, finally he turned and sprinted to the street to catch a cab.

Jason walked back to the fountain cursing himself every step of the way. He was just going to make sure she was ok. At least that was what he was trying to convince himself he was doing. He wasn't going back to beat Danny into a bloody pulp.

Bracing himself, he glanced at the bench and saw her lying there alone. Fear swamped him. It wasn't an emotion he was familiar with, in fact he had only felt it one time before, but here it was and it had him by the throat. "Elizabeth," his voice was barely a whisper as he ran to her, to check her over. "Elizabeth look at me."

"Huh?" 

It took her only a second to open her eyes and focus on him, but it was the longest second of his life. "Are you okay?"

"Jason?"

"I'm here are you okay?" he asked slipping his hands to her hips and easing her into a sitting position.

"I'm tired," she leaned towards him, and rested her forehead on his shoulder when he crouched at her feet.

"Where is Danny?" Jason asked running a hand over her back and coming in contact with her skin, when her shirt rose up slightly in the back.

"Cab."

He left her alone, at night, in the park, while he got a cab? Jason's hands clenched into fists again, he was going to talk to Danny. 

"Jason make it stop." Her words interrupted his plans for Danny.

"Make what stop?" he asked softly bringing her head up so he could look at her.

"Make it stop spinning."

Jason moved and slipped his arm under her legs. "Put your arm around my neck," he ordered and picked her up.

"Where are we going?" She asked huskily laying her head on his shoulder.

"Home." He replied, she was so light in his arms, she felt so right there.

Home, she liked the sound of that, tilting her head she brought her lips to his ear.

His stride hitched when he felt her mouth on his earlobe. "Elizabeth stop."

"Okay," moving her head she began to trail kisses down his neck instead.

Stifling a groan, he set her down on the ground by his bike.

Elizabeth looked at the bike and stepped away from Jason. "Oh goody a bike ride. Can I drive?"

"No."

"Please," she begged him catching his hand and pulling it to her chest. "Please."

"No, you're drunk," Jason said roughly pulling his hand away from her, "I'll drive."

"Party pooper." He put a helmet over her head, picked her up and set her on the bike before climbing on ahead of her.

"Don't let go of me," he ordered wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"Not ever," Elizabeth mumbled.

****

~Luke's~

Danny burst in the door to Luke's looking terrified and ran over to Nikolas. "Is she here?"

"Who?"

"Elizabeth. Is she here?" Danny cried looking around the bar.

"We thought she was with you," Emily got to her feet in concern.

"She was, but I left her in the park when I went to get a cab, when I got back she was gone."

"You left her alone in the park at this time of night?" Sonny asked softly turning Danny around to face him.

Danny paled, "Y-yes."

"Francis."

"I'm on it," Francis pulled out his cell and headed for the door.

"If anything happens to her," Sonny moved closer to him. "Anything."

****

~Garage~

"Hey Morgan your butt's ringing," Elizabeth said with a giggle. "I know because I'm right beside it," she patted his butt.

Jason ignored her and carried her up the stairs in a fireman's carry. First she had refused to get off the bike, then she kept squirming away from him every time he tried to get her inside, so he had finally picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder to get her inside. He thought she had passed out, until his phone rang. He felt her hand's move on his butt and pull out his phone.

"Hello Jason's butt phone," she said with a giggle. "No wait a minute let me try that again. Morgan," she lowered her voice in a very bad imitation of him.

"Elizabeth," Jason entered his room and set her on her feet, "give me the phone."

"Nope," Elizabeth held it away from him.

Jason grabbed her arm, pulled her to him, to take the phone out of her hand, his pulse jumped when she remained there pressed against him.

"Morgan," he said when he finally let her go.

__

"Jason was that Elizabeth? Is she okay? We've been looking everywhere for her," Emily asked.

"She's fine no thanks to your friend," Jason watched her prowl the room.

__

"Thank god, I've been so scared, and don't worry about Danny by the time Sonny and Luke get through with him there won't be much left. Tell her I'll see her tomorrow at the carnival." Emily hung up and decided she'd let them torture him a little while longer then she would stop it, after all Danny had helped in his own incompetent way, Jason and Elizabeth were together.

Elizabeth leaned against the dresser, watching him, the bed separating them. "Well this is a switch."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the last time we were in a room like this?" She asked him her fingers tracing patters on the dresser. "Probably not, that was the night you were drunk," she laughed, "and tonight I'm drunk."

"I know that was the only night I've been drunk." 

"We've never talked about it, how much of that night do you remember?"

"What's the point of talking when we can't change it?"

Closing her eyes she turned away from his words, the only thing she would change would be the end of it. She opened her eyes and studied him through the mirror. "I remember it all, you were at Jake's just looking for a fight. When no one would take you up on it you decided to drink instead. You had 18 beers Jason, did you know that? I watched you and I counted," her eyes darkened in memory.

__

"Jake you have to cut him off," Elizabeth hissed.

"I've tried, he just gets a beer on his own," Jake said. "I've never seen him like this."

"Call Sonny."

"He's out of town. Jason needs to get out of here now, the dockworkers will be here soon, that's just the kind of trouble he wants. Only this time it may be more than he can handle."

Elizabeth looked over at Jason as he took another pull off the beer.

"I'll get him out of here, can you get me a cab?"

"He won't leave his bike."

"Then what?" 

"Take him upstairs and have him sleep it off," Jake handed her a key from the register.

Elizabeth took the key and turned towards Jason. "No one needs to know that he got like this," she said turning back to face Jake.

"No one will."

"And no one ever did, your always in control reputation is still intact." Elizabeth focused on him through the mirror again. "I got you upstairs into a room a lot like this one, a few dressers, a chair, and a bed. All I was going to do, was get you on the bed and let you sleep it off," she turned to look at him, he had moved closer to her pausing at the foot of the bed. "But you had other ideas."

__

"There you go Jason," Elizabeth said pulling off his boot and setting it on the floor.

"Wait," he caught her hand and sat up on the bed.

Her pulse skittered at his touch, down girl. "What?"

Getting off the bed he smiled at her, and she felt her insides jolt, he had never smiled at her like that, it was slow and sexy, his eyes were lit with a glow. Remember he's drunk she ordered herself.

Jason pulled her into his arms. "Dance with me."

"Jason," she murmured trying to pull free.

"Please."

"It was the please that did it, I had never heard you say please before," Elizabeth moved over to him, and picked up one of his hands and studied it. "Your hands were on my waist, they were so big, they pretty much spanned my waist." She placed his hands on her waist. "See? The base was coming up through the floorboards, and I could hear the wail of a saxophone, it sounded so sultry, in that dark little room."

"Elizabeth," Jason interrupted his hands tightening on her waist, his hands did in fact span her waist. She was so small.

"No don't you think it's time you know what an ass I was?" she asked smiling up at him bitterly.

__

"Jason," Elizabeth pulled back slightly when he bent down to nuzzle her neck, god that felt so good.

"Shh," he brought his hand to her face and placed a finger over her lips. "Shut up and feel," he lowered is head again and kissed along her jaw.

Tilting her head up to give him easier access, her hands clenched his hips. It was getting harder and harder for her to remember that he was drunk, god this was a switch. "Jason." The rest of her words were lost in his mouth when he kissed her. She resisted for a moment, and then responded when he settled his mouth more firmly over hers. 

Passion and need like she had never felt before consumed her, his tongue pressed on her lips demanding entry and she let him into her mouth, while his hand buried in her hair. Her hands slipped under his shirt, needing to feel his skin, they pulled it free of his jeans and raced up his back. 

Breaking the kiss long enough to bring the shirt up and over his head, before he lost himself in her mouth again. She groaned when he drew her closer to him his hands molding her behind. He bent down and trailed kisses down her neck, while his hands went to her shirt, and jerked at it, sending the buttons flying.

She felt his mouth on her stomach and then work it's way up her body leaving a moist trail, he got to his feet with her in his arms, and laid her on the bed, covering her with his body. His weight pressed her into the mattress but she didn't care, his mouth left hers to roam over her body again. His mouth found her breast and he kissed it through her bra, her hands raced over his back, the pleasure she felt increased because of the friction his mouth and her bra were causing on her nipple.

Elizabeth pulled him back up to kiss him, she couldn't get enough of his mouth, his wicked, wicked mouth. Her hand's drifted down to press against his butt and pull him closer. He moaned in response to her touch, his hand went to his back pocket looking for his wallet and the condom in there. She was reaching up to draw him to her again when he said it.

"Do you remember that part Jason? Or do you just remember me slapping you? There I was lying underneath you, the first time you even glanced my way and I was in bed with you, you looked down at me," she paused in bitter remembrance. "I remembered thinking you looked so beautiful at that moment, and then you called me Robin."

"Elizabeth don't do this." He could see the pain in her eyes.

"Why not? Don't you think you should know what an ass I was? I don't blame you Jason, I knew you were drunk, I knew you were missing Robin, that you loved her, I knew that but chose to forget it. It was my fault for thinking you were making love to me, no that's wrong we weren't doing that, we were just fooling around." 

"I'm so..."

Elizabeth stopped the apology by shoving him down on the bed. "Don't you dare say that to me. I told you it was my fault. You would think I would have learned my lesson," she stepped back from him. "But apparently I haven't, today proved that. I proved that all you have to do is touch me and I can't stop. God that's humiliating, especially when I know that both times you have kissed me it really wasn't me you wanted."

"Elizabeth please let me explain to you." He hated hearing that lost tone in her voice almost as much as he hated hearing the words.

"No Jason. You're going to do something for me tonight, when it really doesn't count." She surprised him by straddling his lap, her knees on either side of his hips. His hands automatically went to her hips to steady her.

"Elizabeth what are you doing."

Running her hands up his chest, to his neck she looped her arms around him, as her eyes locked on his. "Just once Jason, I want you to kiss me, Elizabeth Webber, not as a Robin substitute, not because of an itch, but because it's me."

"Elizabeth that wasn't what I was doing." The smell of her perfume was enveloping him making his mind go foggy as the scent of her invaded his senses.

"Please Jason, maybe it will help." She pressed a kiss to his chin. "You might even like it."

His hands went to push her away but instead they drew her closer to him. "You're drunk, you don't mean this."

"Then were right back where we started aren't we?" She asked looking down at his face her lips inches from his.

Reaching up, he brought her lips to his, he wasn't strong enough to refuse her, and he didn't even know why he was trying to. His hands framed her face changing the angle and bringing her lips more firmly to his.

She groaned in his mouth, her tongue entered his mouth to taste him. His hands dropped down her back to cup her bottom. One kiss? There was no way he could stop with one kiss. He stood keeping her in his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he turned and lowered her to the bed. Their tongues were dueling with each other when he lowered himself on top of her. He didn't think he would ever stop kissing her, he knew he didn't want to.


	5. Play Ball

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 4

****

~Penthouse~

Johnny tapped on Sonny's door and opened it slightly. "Alexis Davis just got off the elevator."

Sonny nodded and headed for the door brushing by Johnny to try to catch her, "Alexis."

Alexis paused in the act of opening the door to her suite and swallowed a groan before turning to look at him. "Yes Sonny?" Coolly arching a brow while she waited.

Suddenly faced with her Sonny found himself in the awkward position of not being sure of what to say to her, how had that happened?

"Sonny did you want something because if not I need to change."

"About last night," Sonny began.

She leaned against the doorframe, crossed her arms and waited, this ought to be good.

"I'm uh," Sonny broke off aware that Johnny was a few feet away listening to them. "Can we talk inside?"

"No. I'm fine right here." Staying where she was, blocking the entrance of her suite, she frowned at him. "You were saying about last night?"

"I'm sorry," Sonny, muttered looking down at his feet, god he hated saying that.

"Excuse me? I didn't quite hear you."

"I said." Lifting his head to glare at her, his teeth were clenched when he went on. "I'm sorry about last night."

"You should be," she said closing the door in his face.

Sonny reached out and braced the door open with his hand. "That's it?"

"Basically," Alexis moved away from him.

Sonny followed her in the suite, all the pomp and circumstance Jax brought with him everywhere had been removed. "So where did you go?"

Alexis turned to face him leaning against the back of a chair. "Out."

Sonny mimicked her posture by leaning against the desk facing her. "Where?"

"Someplace."

"Where?" He snapped, for his lawyer, and for Alexis, she wasn't talking very much and that surprised him.

"How long did it take for you two to notice I was gone?" She asked ignoring his question.

"I noticed," Sonny said defensively.

"How long?" when Sonny didn't answer she went on, "I can always ask Francis."

"He won't tell you."

"That long." Why was she not surprised? "Well if we are through rehashing last night, I need to get ready for the carnival."

Sonny studied her then. "Aren't those the same clothes you had on last night?"

She glanced down. "Yes."

"You didn't come home until now?" He moved closer to her glancing at his watch. "It's after 8:00."

"Barely," she retorted looking at her watch. "But I am going to be late, so if you excuse me."

"Where were you?"

She tilted her head and looked at him in amusement. "What is this the concerned parent routine? Your about 8 hours and 20 years to late for that one Sonny."

"Alexis where were you?" Sonny snapped.

"I didn't come home because I didn't want you two to use me to batter each other with in the next round of the boys club." She told him finally. "I care about both of you even when you are idiots, but I don't have to stand around and watch."

He looked sorry at her words but remained silent. 

"Look I have to get changed to go the carnival, I got roped into helping, and I want to have a little fun before I have to," she moved towards the stairs.

"Go to the carnival with me," Sonny said, where did that come from?

"What, you at a carnival?" Alexis turned surprised.

He glared at her, what was so funny about that. "Yes, go with me."

She laughed and quickly covered her mouth when he glared at her again. "I'm sorry but I can't picture you at a carnival. Your suits would stand out a little to much."

He glanced down automatically. "I have other clothes and it's for a good cause I was going to go anyway," no he wasn't he was going to send an anonymous donation.

"Sonny, I'm meeting Jax after I am done at the booths, I don't want a repeat of last night."

"So go early with me, then do whatever you want."

"Sonny."

"Look Alexis all the money goes to the Stone Cates Memorial Aids Wing, I would like you to come with me." Sonny said quietly.

"Give me an hour." Alexis said before heading up the stairs.

****

~Garage~

Elizabeth gradually became aware of a pounding in her head, no it wasn't a pounding it was a tap dance festival going on behind her eyelids, whoever nicknamed tap soft-shoe, was insane.

She opened her eyes, only to shut them again at the brightness of the room, God why was it so bright? Slowly opening one eye she peered through her lashes before gradually opening it all the way. Pleased that she hadn't died she decided to be brave and open the other eye. Now the tap dancers were dancing on her eyes but at least she could see again.

Or maybe not she thought as she looked at the room. Maybe her eyes weren't working because what she was seeing was definitely not her apartment. She became even more alarmed when she felt the bed shift and a man's arm and hand were suddenly draped over her waist.

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God. What have I done? Elizabeth turned to look at the hand and groaned in pain that the movement caused in her head. She closed her eyes tightly and prayed, she opened her eyes again but the hand was still there, God must be busy.

She started to groan again, and then quickly cut it off, there was no need to bother the man who was attached to that hand. Danny's face popped into her hand, if it was his hand though she might just sever it off. She moved her hand slowly and grasped the sheet and pulled it away from herself slightly and looked down. Thank god she was still dressed.

Her euphoria was short-lived as another thought occurred to her. Closing her eyes she prayed to every religious deity she had ever heard of, and eased her hand down the bed and under the sheet. THERE IS A GOD, she wanted to scream it, but didn't. She was still wearing her underwear.

Calmer again she glanced at the hand. Pushing the pain back she forced herself to concentrate on it. It was a big hand and strong looking, her dread grew when she began to recognize the hand. She knew that hand, it couldn't be though, God couldn't hate her that much could he? As if in answer to her unspoken plea the bed shifted again and the hand on her waist tightened and drew her closer to the heat against her back.

She felt his breath on the back of her neck, her bottom was nestled against his hips, and his hold on her waist was secured as he locked her against him. Long, lean, and lethal described Jason Morgan to a tee, and that was whom she was wrapped up in at the moment.

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip and considered this, trying desperately to ignore the sensations his body was causing in hers, how did she keep finding herself in these situations? She closed her eyes and tried to remember. The tap dancers in her head must have gotten tired because they were gone, unfortunately they were replaced by jackhammers at the base of her skull.

She remembered going to Luke's with Danny and the others, and Danny ordered her a Hurricane. She could remember thinking it looked weird, but had decided to try it, the next thing she knew she woke up here. Rum had walked up and smacked her upside the head once again.

Jason muttered something in his sleep and settled his leg over hers. She looked down at his leg and noticed that he still had his pants on, and he seemed to be above the sheet. She tried to make herself think then, she was fully dressed, he at the very least had pants on, she was under the covers, he was not. Nothing had happened. Thank you God, she sighed in relief. If anything were to happen between them she damn sure wanted to be coherent for it.

So nothing happened last night but it could right now. She could roll over and kiss him, and run her hands over his tight body before he was even awake, she could have him ready and willing. A shudder ripped through her at that thought and she let herself imagine it for a second before stopping, but she wouldn't.

She did however need to get out of here and preferably do so before he woke up. She slowly started easing her way out of his hold, freeing one leg and then the other. She moved so she was lying flat on her back. Jason shifted as well, and moved to his back. She risked a glance at his face he was still asleep.

Tempted, she rolled on her side to study him, his face was softened in his sleep. The guarded expression he habitually wore was gone, his face had smoothed out and he looked so much younger. She suddenly realized that she was touching his face, running her hand over his lightly stubbled cheek. She looked at his eyes then, but he made no movement, he was still asleep. 

She had seen him in lots of different moods, lots of positions, but she had never seen him look this relaxed or peaceful. Feeling bolder she traced his jaw before moving up to lightly trace his mouth. She paused and checked for any reaction, she was ready to flee at the first sign of his awakening. Her thumb traced his bottom lip, like his had done to hers the day before, it felt so firm, under her touch.

She moved her hand lower, down his neck and ran a finger over his Adam's apple before moving on down to his sculpted naked chest. She knew that she should stop this. That he could awake at any second and she would be mortified. But she couldn't she didn't know if she would ever be in the position of touching him again, and she didn't want to stop. Her finger lightly outlined his nipple causing it to harden.

God is this what she had been reduced too? Molesting a man in his sleep? Elizabeth dropped her hand and rolled away to get off the bed, she had just stood up when his hand caught hers and he pulled her back down on the bed. Turning she met his now open blue eyes.

"Where are you going?" The sleepiness was evident in his tone.

"I-I need to go." She tugged on her hand trying to get him to release her.

He held her hand easily. "We need to talk."

"Not right now we don't." She retorted, standing up and tugging on her arm. She wasn't going to talk to him until she had a better idea as to what had happened last night.

"Elizabeth," he sat up on the bed.

"No Jason I got to." Interrupting him, as if ill, she covered her mouth with her hand and yanked on her arm trying to free it.

Alarmed Jason let go of her hand and she fell on the floor, she scrambled to her feet and ran to the bathroom. She slammed, locked the door and then leaned against it wearily, that went well.

"Elizabeth are you okay?" His voice came from the other side of the door startling her.

"I'm fine Jason," she called back weakly and she would be as soon as she got away from him, if playing sick was what it would take than sick she was.

She looked around the small bathroom looking for any escape avenues, unfortunately her choices were limited to the drain or a small window over the toilet. Moving closer she tried to gauge its size, it could work, of course she was two floors up but it could work.

She glanced over at the mirror and gave a yelp in surprise she looked awful. Her makeup was gone except of course for the dark smudges under her eyes that made her look like a raccoon. Her eyes stood out in an already pale face and she hadn't thought she could feel any worse. She bent over the sink and scrubbed at her face. She just wasn't up to facing Jason, at least not yet. She needed to know what had happened. Somehow she knew if she went out there he wouldn't let her go until they did talk.

Talking wasn't real high on her to do list she thought as she looked at herself in the mirror. As she saw it she had two options she could be an adult about this and walk out there and calmly and rationally talk to Jason about whatever had happened. Maybe she could get lucky and bluff her way out of the situation like she had done in the past. Or she could sneak out the window. She was 21 years old it was time for her to start acting like an adult, she thought turning to the door.

~*~

Jason stared at the door and waited for her to emerge. He hoped she wasn't sick, he knew that alcohol could affect people that way, and she had certainly had alcohol. He reached down and pulled on his shirt as his thoughts went back to last night.

She had been driving him insane, touching him and when she had kissed him his control had snapped. Her mouth was all over him and he didn't want her to stop. He had pressed her to the mattress and her hands started tugging on his shirt, so he sat up and pulled it off, by the time he laid back down beside her she was out. He would have laughed if he hadn't felt so frustrated.

He'd had an intense desire to strangle her, or to shake her awake so they could finish what they had started. In the end, however, he did neither, he pulled off her boots and put her in his bed. After much debate and glaring at her he laid down next to her and watched her sleep. How long he watched her he didn't know, he was aware of her every movement, her every breath and then sleep had finally claimed him.

It felt like it had been only minutes when he felt her hand on his face. He'd lain there pretending to be asleep, while she explored his face. When she touched his lips it took every ounce of willpower not to pull her to him and finish this. But he held back, curious to see what else she would do, and then he felt her leave.

This couldn't continue they had to talk, especially after what she had told him last night. He smiled wryly, he wondered how much of last night she actually remembered, he knew he would never forget it. He frowned at the door, she had been in there an awfully long time. "Elizabeth are you okay?"

When she didn't answer he crossed to the door. "Elizabeth answer me," he said knocking on it.

When she still didn't answer he tried the doorknob but it was locked. Moving to the dresser he got his lock picks, they were overkill for a lock like this but he didn't want to kick the door open. "Elizabeth I'm coming in," he popped the lock and opened the door. She was gone, the curtain of the open window flapped in the breeze.

****

~Cottage~

"Emily open the damn door," Elizabeth yelled pounding on the door again.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing?" Nikolas asked opening the door. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned taking in her appearance. She was still in the dress she had on last night, she didn't have any shoes on and was that a twig she had in her hair?

"Thank god, can you pay the driver I don't have my purse," Elizabeth walked gingerly past him into the cottage.

Nikolas looked after her, then grabbed his wallet and went outside to pay the man.

Elizabeth had just started to ease herself down on the sofa when Emily walked down the stairs tying her robe. "Are you okay?"

Elizabeth shot back to her feet and groaned. "What the hell happened last night?"

"Rum." Emily said with a smile.

"Besides that." Elizabeth snarled lowering herself on the couch. "Do you know where I woke up this morning?"

"Well if it worked out right you were in my brother's bed," Emily sat next to her.

"How did you know that? No more importantly how did I get there? You know you're not supposed to leave me alone when I have rum." She asked with a desperate look at her friend, "the last thing I remember was Danny and Luke's."

"So you don't remember biting Carly?" Nikolas asked shutting the front door.

"I bit Carly?" Elizabeth asked in disbelief, "No I wouldn't do that."

"Yes you would." Nikolas said with a grin, "Of course that was after you asked Lurk…Lucky how many times he was dropped on his head as a child, and before, you shoved Carly halfway across Luke's when she grabbed your arm." Nikolas was watching her face go more and more white; this was kind of fun.

Elizabeth groaned and buried her face in the pillows that were on the couch.

Emily glared at Nikolas. "Why don't you make us some coffee."

Taking the hint Nikolas started out of the room. "By the way I won the pool, Lucky was never dropped on his head."

"Did I really do that?" Her words muffled by the cushions.

"Yes."

"Oh god, that money from the pool would have come in handy to run away from my life."

"Elizabeth, don't exaggerate."

"Why did I go off on Carly, tell me I didn't start it?" Elizabeth asked sitting up.

"I don't know the actual biting occurred in the bathroom where it was just you two, but I would guess it was about Jason."

Elizabeth's expression grew guarded, "Why would we fight about Jason, she barely knows him." She was not about to give away his secret.

"Right, don't try to tell me she wasn't the person you saw him kissing, because I won't believe it."

Elizabeth ignored her.

"Fine don't answer me, I already know, anyway not long after you went off on Carly Jason showed up."

This was the part she was dreading, "What did I do?"

"Nothing, once his attention was diverted by Carly's hysterics, you took off with Danny."

"Then how did I…"

"Wind up with Jason? He followed you I guess, and when Danny left you passed out in the park, he took you home."

Elizabeth had been rubbing her temples more and more as Emily talked, now she looked at her in surprise. "Wait he left me in the park? And to think I thought he was a nice guy."

"Well in his very weak defense, he only left you to get a cab, and was terrified when he came back and couldn't find you." Emily smiled, "I thought Sonny and Luke were going to kill him, when he burst into Luke's saying how he had lost you."

"Mr. Corinthos was there?" Was there no one who missed her latest rum fiasco?

"Yes Mr. C. was there. It was funny Luke threatened to run Danny through the blender, and Sonny, well Sonny got all intense and well I don't think Danny will go back there again." Emily said with a laugh. "I was terrified, then I called Jason and you answered his phone, I believe your exact words were, Jason's butt phone."

"Oh god, I didn't," Elizabeth groaned again and buried her face in the pillow, before peeking at Emily who was giggling so hard she almost slipped of the couch. "I did."

"That's as much as I know, since your wearing the same clothes I would say he took you to the garage and not your apartment. So spill what happened?" Emily asked leaning towards her anticipation.

"I don't know, I woke up with him, in his bed."

"Sounds promising."

"I was fully dressed, and he had his pants on."

"Bummer."

"Emily!" Elizabeth cried loudly hitting her with a pillow, before groaning and grabbing her head again.

"What I am being a supportive friend here. So what did he say?"

"I don't know." She had decided to keep the whole molesting Jason while he slept part to herself, there were things even a best friend shouldn't know about. "I faked being sick to get away from him and locked myself in the bathroom."

"So what happened when you came out?"

"Actually I didn't come out." Elizabeth stalled twisting the pillow in her hands.

"What do you mean?" 

"Well I climbed out the window, caught a cab, and here I am. Which reminds me I need the spare key to my apartment, I sort of left my purse at Jason's," Elizabeth said in a rush.

"You climbed out the window," Emily asked in surprise then wondered why, Elizabeth never failed to surprise her. "That window is on the second floor."

"Tell me about it, I will never complain about those bushes again," Elizabeth pulled a leaf from her hair, "Did I really bite her?"

"Come on and get cleaned up, you still have some clothes here, from when you stayed here last winter after your place was robbed." Emily pulled Elizabeth to her feet. "Put on something grubby and let's head for the carnival."

"Oh no, there is no way I can handle a carnival today," Elizabeth said, then brightened heading up the stairs. "Although the carnival should be the last place that I would ever run into Jason."

Not after I call him, Emily thought with a grin and headed in the kitchen to get her morning fix of Nikolas.

****

~GH Carnival~

"You're staring again Alexis," Sonny said, they had been there for a couple of hours and every now and then he would catch her staring in his direction.

Yes she was, Alexis thought jerking her eyes away. "It's just I have never seen you in anything casual, I didn't think you even owned a pair of jeans."

He grinned, "Well you're not looking very lawyer-like yourself."

Alexis glanced down at her khaki pants and T-shirt, which she had already managed to get dirty. "I never went to carnivals as a kid, I love them now."

"Most summers," Sonny began as a pack of kids ran around and through them screaming. Johnny reached out and steadied her.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Sonny shook his head and took her hand, "That would have been me and the Cerillo kids. We practically lived at Coney Island. I remember once when a ticket guy shorted us a loop on the Monster roller coaster, I thought Lois was going to rip his head off."

"I don't blame her, I love roller coasters," Alexis pulled her hand free to point. "Look there's Nikolas I need to talk to him."

Sonny watched her walk away. "She's weakening," he murmured to Johnny.

"If you say so," Johnny said, personally he didn't see it.

****

~Tent~

"Hi Nikolas, Emily." Alexis said. "So what did Lucy rope you into doing?"

"Well we were trying to blow up this tent and all these balls, to let the kids jump around in it, but the hose has a leak somewhere. Elizabeth is trying to find the leak and patch it."

"How's the head today?" 

Sonny's voice came from directly behind Elizabeth and she jerked and hit her head on one of the helium tanks she had been working on. "It was fine until you showed up." She said glaring at him.

Sonny grinned. "Sorry."

Elizabeth turned back around and gave the bolt another turn with her wrench before getting to her feet and stepping away from the tanks, and into Johnny. "Sorry."

"Elizabeth," Johnny said with a smile, "I hear you had an interesting night."

"I wouldn't know."

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked.

"I don't remember anything," she bent down to trace the path of the hose leading to the tent, looking for the leak.

"Not anything?" Sonny asked, with a mischievous smile this could be good.

"No Mr. Corinthos, not a thing, although from what Emily has been telling me I guess I owe you a thanks."

"Now why are you calling me Mr. Corinthos, last night when we were dancing it was Sonny."

"No it wasn't, I wouldn't call you that, mister or Mr. C maybe but not Sonny." She noticed his reaction to the Mr. C comment. "Right Mr. C?"

Sonny glared at her. "My name is Sonny, it's only five letters why don't you use it."

"Because I don't want to Mr. C, and that is only three letters." She shot back as a blast of helium blew up at her sending her staggering back on her butt. "Damn'it Lucky I told you not to hit the lever until I told you."

"Sorry," Lucky called taking a step back from the lever.

"I still think Nikolas was wrong about him," Elizabeth muttered pulling out her marker to note where the leak was.

****

~Tent~

__

"Morgan."

"Hey Jason it's Emily."

__

"What do you need?"

"Jeez hello to you too Jason. Actually I do need you to come to the carnival right away." Emily said watching Elizabeth talk to Johnny.

__

"Why?"

"Well for one thing you could bring Elizabeth back her purse." Emily said sweetly.

__

Jason groaned was there anything she didn't know? "I'll get it to her later."

No you'll bring it over here now, Emily thought. Sorry Elizabeth but it is for your own good, "Jason she really needs to talk to you.'

__

Jason snorted. "Em she climbed out of a window to get away from me, I'm not that brain damaged I can take a hint."

"She's just spooked," Emily argued turning her back on Elizabeth, she didn't want to look at her friend while she set her up, "you can't really blame her, her apartment being robbed, the awful date with Danny, her stalker, and now this stuff with yo…"

__

"Hold it stalker, what stalker?" Jason interrupted.

"Oh no I thought she told you," Emily cried. "Forget I even mentioned it, look I got to go. Bye."

"Stalker?" he muttered closing his phone. Why the hell hadn't she told him she was being stalked? He wasn't going to find out anything here. He was going to find her and wasn't going to let her out of his sight until they talked, Jason grabbed his keys and walked out of the garage.

****

~Carnival~

Elizabeth was trying to juggle three softballs. "Ahh," she screamed and covered her head when they crashed down on her again.

Johnny laughed. "That was smooth."

"Well if you're so damn good Johnny O'Brien why don't you try it?" She said testily picking up the balls and tossing one at him.

Johnny caught the ball and tossed it up in the air beginning a circular motion, he nodded his head she fed him another ball, and then another. He nodded again, and she bent over and picked up a couple of more as she watched him juggle five softballs.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Back home, Atlantic City, I used to work the Boardwalk, juggling knives, torches, melons, whatever it took to keep the crowd interested."

"More likely whatever it took to keep the crowds attention on you while someone else nabbed their wallets." She teased with a grin.

"You know me so well."

Elizabeth laughed and jumped up on a bench and started to watch the people.

"So how are you really," Johnny asked slowing his movements and working the balls out of the mix, one by one.

"I'm hanging in, why what did you hear?"

He tossed her a softball before, moving to sit beside her, still bouncing one in his hand. He kept his eye on Sonny who was talking to Alexis and Emily a few yards away. "That you didn't sleep at home last night."

"Did you sleep at home?"

"Yes."

"Alone?" Nudging him in the ribs when he didn't respond, "I didn't think so."

"We were talking about you," Johnny said scanning the crowds.

"And now were talking about you." She countered.

"Fine let's change the subject."

"Lets."

"So are you muzzled today or do I need to call a dogcatcher?" a feminine voice sounded from behind them.

Elizabeth bowed her head; this day kept getting better and better. "Carly."

Carly walked around the bench and stood in front of Elizabeth, she glanced over at Johnny, "Doesn't your boss need you?"

"No he's fine." Johnny said rolling the ball around in his hand.

"Go play with your balls I need to talk to the grease monkey."

"Now look…" he got to his feet.

Elizabeth caught his arm. "Go ahead, I need to talk to her anyway."

Johnny turned and frowned at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I'll be right over here." He shot Carly a warning glare.

"Carly I think I owe you an apology."

Carly blinked at her stunned. "What?"

"I have been told that I bit you last night, if I did I'm sorry." Elizabeth was grateful for her sunglasses, so she could roll her eyes in peace.

"If? Don't you remember?"

"No I don't remember anything."

Carly's brain raced ahead this could be good. "You agreed to stay the hell away from Jason."

"I did? Was this before or after I bit you?"

"After. He came to Luke's and I told him what you did to me and he wasn't happy with you," Carly leaned in closer, "in fact he was quite disgusted."

"If you say so," Elizabeth said with a shake of her head, she knew Carly was lying but she would play along anything to get rid of her and her obnoxious voice, it was playing havoc with her headache.

"I'm just here to make sure you keep your word, and keep your mouth shut about me and Jase, and of course that you keep away from him." Carly said pointing at her for emphasis.

"You really shouldn't point at me Carly," Elizabeth said softly.

Carly jerked her hand behind her back. "Anyway Jason's to nice to tell you this himself, but you really disgusted him last night. He told me he wished you would just stay away from him." Carly figured she was safe, she had seen Elizabeth and her date leave while she had been talking to Jason.

"Funny he didn't mention that to me when I woke up in his bed this morning," Elizabeth said with a smile.

****

~Tent~

"Uh-oh that doesn't look good," Emily said with a groan, "When will she learn?"

"Who?" Alexis asked turning to look at Carly and Elizabeth.

"You don't think she'll bite her again do you?" Nikolas asked in concern. "She got away with it last night, but today she wouldn't."

"Who bit whom?" Alexis asked.

"Elizabeth bit Carly's finger last night," Emily explained before turning to Nikolas. "She won't bite her but she might hit her, she does have a hangover and Carly is hard enough to handle on a good day."

Sonny walked over to them then. "Looks like Carly's getting mad."

****

~Bench~

"What?" Carly demanded putting her hands on her hips.

"You heard me." Elizabeth said sweetly. "He had no problem with me this morning when we were tangled up together."

"Listen to me you little bitch, you keep your hands off Jason Morgan or I will rip your damn head off." Carly leaned closer to Elizabeth.

"Careful Carly we wouldn't want your boyfriend to hear you."

"Carly, come here, I want you to meet Amanda Barrington," Tony's voice called from behind.

Elizabeth jerked her head in his direction. "You better run along, you don't want to keep your meal ticket, I mean your date waiting."

"Remember what I said, Jason is mine, and he will always be mine. You may have been with him last night, but trust me you little monkey, you don't have what it takes to satisfy him on a full time basis." Carly said vehemently before turning to walk towards Tony, Stefan Cassadine, Dr. Quartermain, and Amanda Barrington.

"Really Carly has no shame," Bobbie Cassadine's voice drifted to Elizabeth.

"I know she is at Jason Morgan's bike shop all the time," Amy Vining said in response.

"So?"

"Bobbie, she doesn't have a car, she is playing Tony for a fool. In fact I saw her coming out of there earlier today, and they aren't even open on Sundays."

"Poor Jason," Bobbie said walking away.

Elizabeth stared at Carly absently flipping the softball in her hand, and considered her options, she could just bean her with it, but then there was that whole jail thing. On the other hand, she thought with a smile.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked her when the others came up to her.

Elizabeth watched Carly and bided her time, almost there. "Carly I'll be sure to give Jason your message when I see him, of course it won't be right away we'll be a little busy."

Carly turned around to glare at her, "Don't push me," she hissed, "you grubby little grease monkey," she continued taking another step back.

"Lucky catch," Elizabeth yelled throwing him the softball. The ball was badly off target and Lucky dove for the ball but missed. The ball crashed into the lever activating the air hose. Just as Carly stepped over the hose a blast of air shot upwards, sending the skirt of her dark sundress high over her hips.

Silence reigned for a minute while everyone stood there stunned. It was broken by Carly's scream and Nikolas and Emily's burst of laughter.

"Sorry Lucky, I guess softball's not my sport," Elizabeth called.

Carly turned around with her hand over her mouth, Tony stared at her aghast, while the others couldn't contain their smiles. Bobbie's laughter echoed around them, Carly shrieked and took off.

Johnny stepped over next to Elizabeth, "I thought you told me you were an all-state pitcher in high school."

"Bite me Johnny," Elizabeth said, causing what control Alexis was exercising to snap and she began to laugh as well.

Sonny swallowed his own laugh and glared at Alexis who looked away, then he focused on Elizabeth, who had yet to laugh. "That wasn't very nice," he said trying to sound firm.

"Well how was I supposed to know she didn't have on…" Elizabeth's voice trailed off, it might be better if she didn't say anything at all.

Emily caught her breath. "Well at least we know she's not a real blonde."

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open and she looked at her friend in shock, then finally let out a laugh.

"Well you can…tell." Emily choked helplessly collapsing back into Nikolas and caused Sonny to break up as well.

****

~Parking Lot~

Jason got off the bike and took a long look at the tents that were spread out over the park, he really did not want to be here. This was a GH sponsored event, and that meant it would be dripping with Quartermains, and doctors. He had a fleeting thought of just getting on his bike and heading for the coast, like he had planned before life had gotten so complicated. No before Elizabeth made his life go haywire.

Sighing he headed into the park. Elizabeth Webber and him were long overdue for a talk. He was sure that once they did everything would go back to normal, that these feelings that kept rising in him would go away and the confusion of the last couple of days would be a memory. He had just passed the concession tent when a blonde bullet ran into him and locked her arms around his waist, and burrowed her face in his chest.

His hands went up automatically to steady her. "Carly what's wrong?"

"It's…she…they…watching…oh God." Carly stuttered then dissolved into tears again.

"What? Carly I didn't understand." Resigning himself to the fact that he would be there until she told him what was wrong.

"Elizabeth." 

The name was spit out with such venom that Jason pulled back to look at her. "What happened?" He asked moving her out of the main traffic area and next to the concession tent.

****

~Bench~

Elizabeth covered her mouth with her hands and tried to stop laughing. Her sides hurt so much she was able to forget the pain in her head. It really wasn't right to be having so much fun at someone else's expense, but she couldn't seem to stop from laughing.

"Elizabeth," Sonny had regained control and was trying again.

"Anyone thirsty?" Elizabeth asked jumping off the bench, "I'll be right back."

"Elizabeth," Sonny called after her.

"Yes, excellent father material," Alexis quipped. "I see how she listened to you."

Sonny glared at Alexis.

****

~Concession Stand~

Jason was stunned, it wasn't an emotion he was used to but he knew that was what he was feeling. "Are you sure it wasn't an accident?"

"Jase she deliberately humiliated me in public, last night she bit me and tried to hit me, what is it going to take to get through to you that she is crazy?" Carly asked brushing her tears away to look up at him.

"Carly, I find it hard to believe that you didn't do anything to provoke this," Jason said pinching his nose.

"God Jason what's it going to take to convince you that she is a psycho, she attacks me and it is my fault."

"Carly I don't think what she did was right, but I know you, you like to provoke reactions."

She turned away from him furious, and saw Elizabeth heading in their direction. She glanced around and saw no one nearby who knew her, or more important knew Tony. "Jase she really scared me." She said with a whine walking back to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. She counted to ten and then she pulled his mouth down to hers.

Get a room, Elizabeth thought glimpsing a couple in a clinch. She came to a stop when she recognized Carly and Jason in an embrace. Any guilt she was feeling at that moment vanished. Wrenching her eyes away from the pair she saw Tony heading in her direction. Good let him find out the truth about that little slut he was with, she thought. Elizabeth bit her lip, but what about Jason?

"Dr. Jones," Elizabeth's voice called out loudly causing Carly to jerk back from Jason and drop her arms.

Jason had been trying to peel Carly off of him when he recognized her voice. His eyes searched for hers, and he found her standing there looking at him, their eyes met for a minute then she turned away.

"Yes Elizabeth?" Tony asked pausing in front of her, oblivious to Carly who quickly hurried away from Jason.

"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night."

"You really shouldn't drink if that is the type of behavior you have." Tony lectured her, before turning to walk away.

Elizabeth nodded then turned around and began walking away. She heard Jason call her name and that caused her to walk even faster. Desperate for escape she ran into the House of Mirrors and quickly lost herself in the maze.

She knew even before he called her name that he had followed her into the building, she kept moving away from him trying to rationalize what she was feeling. She had no right to feel jealous, but she did. She had no business feeling betrayed either, but she did. She needed to get away from him, before he made her cry for the second day in a row, that was something she just didn't do.

She entered a room of mirrors, and saw her reflection staring back at her from every direction. Her shorts and T-shirt were dirty, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She had a streak of dirt on her pale face, and her eyes looked desperate. She didn't like what she saw, if this is what love did to a person she wanted no part of it.

Jason entered the room behind her, his image reflected next to hers in the mirrors as he moved to stand beside her. There was nowhere to hide, for once she had no defense as her gaze locked on his in the mirror. "Elizabeth."

"Save it Jason, you don't owe me any explanations, and believe me I won't tell anyone what I saw," she interrupted him. "There have we covered all the bases? Because I really need to get back to my booth."

"No," He caught her arm before she could move. "Damn'it Elizabeth we need to talk, I need to explain."

"Explain? Jason you don't explain things, remember? Besides it's really none of my business who you kiss," jerking her arm away she began to move, her anger growing. "But you can tell me this. How long did you wait before you called her to come over this morning? 5 minute, 5 seconds, that was the rush in wanting to talk to me, you wanted me out the door."

"What are you talking about?"

"Carly." She snapped stopping in front of him her eyes blazing. "Or maybe you have a standing Sunday morning appointment with her."

"You're not making any sense, I followed you this morning, I just ran into Carly a few minutes ago."

Elizabeth took a step back, when she spoke next all the temper in her voice was gone. "That's the first time you've lied to me."

Jason caught her hand. "I'm not lying."

"Fine whatever you say, just let me go," she agreed tiredly.

"No I want to talk to you." He snapped his patience at an end.

"I don't want to talk to you," she yanked her hand away.

"Fine we won't talk." Jason stepped forward and pulled her to him. She struggled and tried to break free, but in the end she only had time for a quick breath before his mouth was on hers. The mouth pressed against hers was hard and demanding, she refused to respond, she couldn't break his grip so she went limp in his arms.

Jason felt her resistance and changed the power of the kiss, where before he had been brutal he now caressed, instead of demanding a response from her his mouth begged for one instead. She felt herself being seduced by the power of the kiss.

Her hands wrapped around his neck as his dropped to her hips and he lifted her to him and carried her across the room until her back hit one of the mirrors. She opened her eyes when he broke the kiss for air, his blue eyes locked on hers, and he leaned forward to kiss her again.

Her mouth opened under his and she kept her eyes locked on his, until the sensation got to be too much and they drifted closed. His remained open so he could watch them out of the corner of his eyes, he could see himself kiss her, he watched himself make love to her mouth.

He tensed when he heard the sounds of someone else entering the building, and when their laughter reached his ears, he reluctantly broke the kiss. She made a sound of distress when he lowered her to the floor, "Someone's here," he whispered in her ear leaning against her for a second, before catching his breath and stepping away from her.

Elizabeth opened her eyes when she felt him leave her, she had totally forgotten where she was, she was a little afraid of the knowledge that when he kissed her he made her forget everything else.

"Elizabeth."

"If you say you're sorry I will kill you."

"I wasn't going to."

She turned away or at least she tried to, their reflections were everywhere. She walked away from him, needing some air, but she was aware of him at her back the whole way. She opened the door and walked out into the glare of the day, her hands automatically went to her head, to draw her shades over her eyes.

"About what you said earlier."

"It's none of my business who you choose to sleep with."

"I don't sleep with Carly, I haven't for months," Jason explained wearily.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" She asked softly.

"I'm not lying, Carly just refuses to let go."

"You seem to have that effect on women Jason," she commented bitterly. "Look I know I'm confusing the hell out of you, and you don't deserve it. I thought I could be an adult about this but it is painfully obvious that I can't."

"What do you mean?"

"Jason all you have to do is touch me and I'm gone. I hate that you have that kind of power over me, what makes it even worse is you don't want to have it, you don't want me," she held up her hand before he could speak. "I know you want me, I'm not stupid, but you don't want me the way I want you and that's my problem to deal with not yours."

"Elizabeth," Jason felt like he was losing her, she was a few feet away and it was like she was already gone.

Smiling slightly she glanced at him, grateful for the sunglasses that hid her tears. "Who knows maybe in a few months I'll feel the same way and we can have a night of meaningless but highly enjoyable sex. But until then I need you not to kiss me anymore. That shouldn't be to hard right? I mean Carly's here if you really need someone," she told him walking away.

"Elizabeth," he called after her, but she had already disappeared in the crowd.

****

~Garage~

Jason stared out of his window at the night sky, almost six hours on the bike and he was still confused by the day. He had hurt her again and that was the last thing that he wanted. The images of her face, and the memories of the kiss, caused him to push his bike to the limit to try to force her out of his mind, but she was still there.

Turning away from the window, his gaze fell on her purse, he had meant to give it back to her earlier. He had also meant to talk to her about what Emily had said about the stalker, but all that had been forgotten because of Carly and the kiss.

He sat down on the bed and laid back against the pillow, he caught a whiff of her shampoo that still clung to it. What had she meant about Carly? And why did she think he lied to her? Jason shoved his hands under the pillow and felt something. He pulled it out and found it was a black thong. He knew it wasn't Elizabeth's, so what was it doing in his bed. He thought back to what she had said, then pictured Carly. She always wore stuff like this, as long as it matched her outfit, she was wearing a black sundress today. Now Elizabeth's accusation made sense, she thought he had Carly here as soon as she had left.

He shook his head, no wonder she was angry. Add to that the misunderstanding about the kiss, and it was a wonder she hadn't decked him. He got up and picked up her boots and purse, it was time to clear the air.

****

~Apartment~

Elizabeth frowned at her easel, nothing was coming out right, everything she had tried was awful. Frustrated she stepped away from her easel and picked up a sketchbook and curled up in the window seat. She was tired but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, she also knew why she couldn't paint. Emotions were what drove her art and she couldn't handle them tonight so she was blocking them off.

She had managed to dodge Emily and Johnny's questions she had even ducked Sonny's concerned looks, as she went around the rest of the day with a perky expression on her face. God she had thought it was going to kill her. She had begged out of dinner with Emily by claiming a headache, but she knew it was only a reprieve, Emily would be over here first thing in the morning demanding the truth from her.

She groaned, she was in over her head with Jason and she didn't know what to do about it. Her attention was drawn to the docks, when a shout reached her ears. She looked down in time to see a man grab and hold of another man up while a third man hit him. The man being held managed to get free and kicked the first man before turning to face the second. As he did so his face caught the light and she recognized Jason. He dodged the man's fist but was hit from behind and propelled head first into the stairs.

Elizabeth jumped up from her window seat and ran for the door, pausing long enough to pick up a baseball bat before running down towards the docks.

Jason laid on the ground stunned, his head had connected with the steps and dazed him for a minute to long, he was jerked to his feet and held by a man, while the other drove a fist in his stomach. Hunching over he grunted in pain.

The man holding him jerked him back up and Jason braced himself for the next punch. The man pulled back his hand to punch him then screamed in agony as the baseball bat connected with his lower back sending him to his knees.

Jason focused on Elizabeth in time to see her swing the bat again and catch the man on his shoulder propelling him off the docks into the water.

The man holding Jason let him go and advanced on her, Jason used his vantage point to drive a fist into the mans balls sending him to the ground in agony.

Elizabeth walked to the edge of the dock and glanced down at the man bobbing in the water before crossing to the man Jason had hit and nudging him with her bat. "Go on, get in the water."

He looked up at her with tears streaking down her face.

She sighed tiredly. "If you make me swing this bat again I am going to go for a head shot, and that most likely will kill you, now get in the water." Her words were punctuated by jabs with the bat.

The man jerked away from her and crawled to the edge of the docks, he turned in her direction again and Elizabeth raised the bat, he turned away and propelled himself in the water.

Setting the bat down she crouched by Jason who was sitting up and staring at her. "Are you okay?" she asked bringing her hand up to the cut on her forehead. "Answer me are you okay?"

"Yeah, help me up," he groaned and staggered to his feet. 

Moving to his side she slipped her arm around his waist pulling her to him. "Lean on me."

"No I'm to heavy."

"I'm stronger than I look, come on my apartment's not far," bending down she picked up her bat.

"Your stuff," he said gesturing to the left.

She leaned him against the stairway and picked up her purse and boots before going back to him to help him to her apartment.

****

~Apartment~

"You left the door open in this neighborhood?" Jason asked when she pushed the door open and helped in the room.

"I was in a hurry," kicking the door closed behind her she walked him over to the bed. "Easy," she murmured helping him sit down then stepped away then to get the first aid kit.

He glanced around her apartment, he hadn't been in this one before. Before he could really get a good look, she came back in the room, carrying a large first aid kit. He studied her then, she was wearing a shirt that was obviously not hers, and was covered in paint spatters, she had on cut-offs and was barefoot, and she had just charged down to the docks with nothing more than a baseball bat. Jason was furious, with her. "What the hell did you think you were doing?"

Elizabeth stopped and looked at him, "When?" she asked. "When I saved your ass?" She set the kit beside him on the bed then moved to her kitchen nook for rags.

"You had no business going down to the docks with a baseball bat," as the thoughts of what could have happened to her, occurred to him, the angrier he got. "What if they had had a gun or a knife what would you do then?"

"Gee, I guess I would have been shot or stabbed," she shot back opening a cupboard.

"That isn't funny." He snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Jason if the situations were reversed what would you have done?"

"That's different."

"Why because you're a man? And I'm a woman? Well I got news for you this woman just saved you from a beating tonight, so you might show a little gratitude." She snapped slamming the cabinet shut.

He tried to get to his feet, but groaned and sat back heavily on the bed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You're going to listen to me for once, Jason Morgan, and I don't want to hear a single complaint."

He looked at her and sighed. "Okay what do you have planned."

"Well first I think you need to take off your pants."


	6. Cool Rider

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 5

****

~Apartment~

Jason stared at her stunned. "What did you say?"

Pants, God what did I say? Elizabeth turned away from him her face flaming. "I said take off your shirt," she turned to face him again. "Why what did you think I said?"

He shook his head slightly he must have hit his head harder than he thought. "Never mind."

Relieved she walked over to him and opened the first aid box, looking for the Hydrogen Peroxide, pulling it out she poured some on a rag and stepped in front of him. "This might sting a bit," she warned him bringing it up to the cut over his eye.

His only reaction was to put his hands on her hips and move her forward so she was standing between his legs, he felt the sting but he was sidetracked by something else. "What's that smell?"

"Turpentine." She blew softly on the cut to ease the sting before brushing the grit away with her rag. "Do we need to call Sonny?"

He pulled away to look at her. "Why?"

She put a hand on her hip and looked down at him. "Well were frick and frack out there beating you up because you're Jason Morgan, Sonny Corinthos' right hand man? Or was it because you're Jason Morgan, idiot?"

"They weren't beating me up," he shifted on the bed. "I had them right where I wanted them."

"God spare me from the ignorance of the male ego." She mumbled running her hand lightly over his forehead looking for any other cuts. "So do we need to call him?"

"No it had nothing to do with Sonny, they seemed to take exception to the fact that I was walking around with your purse." He gestured to the table where she had set it down.

She turned to look at the small black bag. "Well it's not really your style." He glared at her and she couldn't resist going on. "A clutch bag would suit you much better."

"Elizabeth."

"Jason you'll just have to pick your accessories more carefully, it's a rough neighborhood."

"I know that." He snapped, "What the hell are you doing here anyway?"

"I live here Jason," she answered dabbing ointment on the cut.

"You have no business living this close to the docks," he was getting furious all over again. "Is this area even residential?"

"This building is."

"Great," he shook his head in disgust. "One building on the whole block is residential and that's where you decide to live. I thought you were smarter than that."

Elizabeth took a step back from him her own temper firing. "Yeah I could live in a place that was completely residential, oh wait I tried that, I got robbed."

"It's not safe here, you don't even have a decent lock."

"I don't have anything valuable enough to steal.

"That's not the worse that can happen to you." He yelled shooting to his feet, thoughts of what could happen to her ran through his head, pushing the pain away. "God you even left the door open."

She shoved him back down on the bed. "I can handle myself just fine. I think I proved that tonight, and for the record, my door was open because I was busy trying to save your ass. Although why I even bothered I don't know."

"You can't always sneak up behind someone with a baseball bat Elizabeth." He said calmly, maybe if he were calm she would listen to him.

"I know that why do you think I kickbox?"

Kickbox? He couldn't help the snort of disbelief, she was so tiny she couldn't produce enough power to stop a gnat much less someone who wanted to get to her. His eyes darkened, the thought had triggered his memory. "What about your stalker?"

Elizabeth paused mid grumble to look at him. "Stalker?"

"Emily told me you were being stalked, the question is why didn't you?" He couldn't understand why she hadn't trusted him enough to tell him and why the knowledge that she hadn't hurt so much.

She bit her lip to keep from laughing, it was one thing to call Lurky a stalker but it sounded so much more serious when Jason said it. Knowing Jason, if she did tell him about Lucky he would probably squash him like a bug. She really didn't want that, Lurky was an idiot but he was a harmless one.

"Well?"  


"My stalker is my problem," she said finally.

"Now look here…" he said rising to his feet again.

"No you look here, it is my problem," she snapped shoving him down again. "If I think it is getting out of control then I will get help."

"Elizabeth."

"Shut up." She placed a band-aid over the cut. "I can take care of it myself. I seem to remember breaking your finger one day in the gym."

"You didn't break it."

"Right you just couldn't bend it or straighten it for weeks, but it wasn't broken," she said nastily, causing him to glare at her again. "Look right now he's just a minor annoyance, if it gets worse, **then**, and only **then**, will I ask for help."

He sighed he knew he wasn't going to get the name from her but he would get it out of Emily, then **he** would handle this annoyance.

"It's a good thing you have a hard head Morgan or else you would need stitches, but I think the cut will close on its own."

He studied her, well actually he studied her chest since it was eye level at the moment. "Is that my shirt?"

She froze for a second then continued on. "No it's my shirt."

He caught the hesitation and knew it was his, he hadn't seen it since…since that night at Jake's. He sobered. There was so much they needed to talk about but he didn't know how to start it without setting her off.

Sitting beside him she took his hand in hers. "Can you make a fist?" when he did she smiled. "Their heads must not be as hard as yours," she said wiping the blood from his swollen knuckles.

"They must not have had their frontal lobe whacked." He said with a smirk.

She looked up at him in surprise, their eyes met, and her smile faded. She had been doing a good job of not thinking about how she was touching his face and hands, it had been hard but she had managed. Now that their eyes had met and awareness sparked between them again, she knew it would be impossible to ignore him now.

Tearing her eyes from him she reached for his other hand. "So why were you coming by tonight? You could have left those for me at the shop." 

"I wanted to talk to you alone." 

At his words, the temperature in the room seemed to rise and her pulse skittered. "I thought we covered everything already."

"No, you covered everything, but, as usual, you didn't let me talk." He said softly, his hand tightening on hers. "There are some things you need to hear."

"Jason don't."

He reached up and placed a finger over her lips. "Please."

Her eyes widened. Why was it that a please from him had her agreeing to do anything? She sighed and nodded.

Now that she was willing to listen to him he didn't know where to start, it was amazing how complicated his life had gotten in the past 2 days. "Let's start with the easiest thing to explain, Carly." 

Elizabeth tensed, pulling her hand away and standing up, tightening the lid on the peroxide bottle to put it away.

"It really is over between us," He said watching her movements. "I got involved with her when I needed someone, and I couldn't go to Robin for it. I know how bad that sounds, but it was just sex. Everything was new to me and I had these feelings and I needed someone. She needed me in the same sort of way."

"I don't need details."

"Once Robin and I got close, I told her about Carly, and I ended things with her. That was well over a year ago," he went on wishing she would look at him, he wanted to see her eyes.

She kept her back to him and fiddled with the first aid box.

"Lately, Carly has been coming around wanting to start things up again, but it isn't going to happen. Both times you saw us, she kissed me, all I wanted was for her to stop. She's my friend and I don't want to hurt her, but when she pulls these stunts it makes me mad."

"So you didn't call her this morning?" 

He got to his feet with a groan and turned her around so she would look at him. "No, I left to find you, and sometime while I was away I guess she came by, I found her missing underwear tonight."

She smiled slightly in relief, reading the truth in his eyes. "I was wondering about that."

He smirked. "I heard about that, it wasn't very nice."

"And what, her pulling that crap on me…never mind. What are you doing up? I'm not finished with you yet," she said pointing to the bed. "Sit down and strip."

"Excuse me?" He asked with a grin.

"Take off your shirt Morgan." Elizabeth ordered her face going red.

Amused, Jason sat back down slowly and began to pull his shirt up. He couldn't help the groan of pain that slipped out when he tried to pull it over his shoulders. He barely stifled another one when he felt her hands on his chest brushing his away to take off the shirt herself.

She looked down at his left side and saw some bruising and blood. She bit her lip in concern, grabbing the first aid kit to set it on the floor beside him. She pushed his legs apart and got to her knees in front of him. She could do this, it was just a chest, and it wasn't like she hadn't seen it before either. But her hand still shook lightly when she reached out to lightly trace the bruising.

He winced slightly at her touch.

"Sorry," she whispered looking up at him. That was a big mistake, his intense eyes locked on hers and her mouth dried up.

Think of something else, she ordered herself, wrenching her eyes away and reaching for her rag. _If you really want to know, what I want in a guy._ "Christ not again."

"What?"

"Nothing." She dabbed the alcohol over the cut on his side, he jerked and put his hand on her shoulder, to steady himself. _Well I'm looking for a dream on a mean machine, with hell in his eyes._ Oh God why her? Why couldn't her brain just shut the fuck up?

In her anger she applied the ointment liberally to his cut causing the stinging to increase and He jerked away. "Sorry," Elizabeth said bending closer to the cut, blowing on it lightly to soothe the sting. _I want a devil in skin-tight leather, whose voice is as wild as the wind._

"Leather?"

God now she was singing out loud. "I said it was too bad you didn't have on your leather jacket, it would have saved you."

Jason looked at her strangely. "It's June Elizabeth."

"I know." She murmured bending close to his chest again.

His hand moved to the back of her head. When he felt her breath on his skin again, he tugged on her head pulling her up his body and closer to him. 

__

Then move aside because one fine night, I'll be holding on tight to a… "That's all I can do." As soon as she was close enough, he pulled her head to his and his mouth found hers.

"Jason," pulling away, "we've tried this, it isn't going…"

He drew her back to him cutting off her words by kissing her again. She groaned and leaned into him, wanting to be closer. His hands slipped under her shirt, racing up her back, seeking out her bare skin, to press her closer still. He broke the kiss to trace a path along her neck, his hand drifted lower and slipped under the waistband of her shorts, running over her butt, drawing her near to grind her into him.

She moaned into his mouth when he pulled her to the bed, and rolled over on top of her, his hands roamed her body, setting off little fires inside of her wherever he touched her.

Opening her eyes she looked up at him, the dim light in the room drifted over his face producing darkness and angles. Her mind went back to another night that was so much like this. The memory killed the desire in her in a flash. "No." she whispered.

He lowered his head to kiss her. "No," she said again and pushed at his chest, "Jason I said no."

He backed off immediately and watched her jump from the bed and cross to the other side of the room. He could see her shaking, but she kept her back to him. "Elizabeth I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry Jason, I can't do this," she ran a hand over her hair. "God I'm sorry, there are names for girls like me and none of them are good."

"If you don't want to that's your right to say, no matter when."

"I know that, and it's not that I didn't want to. God you have no idea how much I want to." She said her voice rising, she turned to look at him. "But you know how this would have turned out. Either you would have stopped it or you would have regretted it as soon as we were through. Or even worse, you might call me Robin again, and I don't think I can handle that." She paused, "No, I _know_ I can't."

He could see the hint of tears in her eyes that she was desperately fighting back and he knew he had to tell her the truth. "You talked about that night with me last night. You told me the history from your point of view."

She groaned and turned away again. "That was nice of me, reminding you how truly pathetic I was. You know Jason, you could have kept that little tidbit to yourself."

"You weren't pathetic that night or anytime since I've met you," he said sharply.

"Your recollection of that night must not be to clear then." She retorted bitterly.

"I remember everything," He snapped, "I remember feeling so empty inside, I had been feeling it for months but that night it was so much worse. I just wanted to stop it for a while. I went to Jake's looking for a fight. I'd been doing so much fighting then that it didn't even help anymore. So instead, I decided to get drunk, hoping that would help ease the pain of losing Robin."

He moved to the window to stare out at the docks. "Then suddenly there you were, playing peacemaker, trying to get Jake to cut me off, trying to protect me from myself," he paused. "When we went upstairs I was still frustrated, I was lying there on the bed, and I could smell your perfume, so when you turned to leave I stopped you."

He turned to look at her, her face was expressionless. "I started things with you because the fighting didn't work, the alcohol didn't work, and I was hoping that if I lost myself in you, the emptiness would recede. I just wanted to get lost for a while and you were there. It worked in the past with Carly. At that moment I didn't care about you, I didn't even care about myself, I just wanted to forget."

Elizabeth leaned against the wall, his every word was killing her, but she couldn't stop him. Maybe when he got all of this out, it would help her begin to forget him.

"So I kissed you, you resisted and I was just about to let you go, when you kissed me back." He said softly running his hand over the collection of jade dragons on the windowsill. "Everything changed when you kissed me back, when you did, nothing else existed. I forgot the reason I had kissed you, I forgot everything but the feel of your mouth on mine."

He was quiet for a time, when he went on his voice was so low she could barely hear it, "All of those times I was with Carly, Robin was still there in the back of my mind. I know how awful that sounds, but she was. She colored all of my thinking. But with you, there was only you, no Robin. That terrified me, but I couldn't stop kissing you, or needing you."

He turned and looked at her, "When we hit the bed and I pulled out my wallet to get a condom…"

"Don't."

"When I opened my wallet, the first thing I saw was a picture of Robin and guilt hit me. For the first time since I was alive I had forgotten her face, so I said her name, but I didn't call you that, I said it to remind myself that I was still in love with her, and that it was much too soon for this."

She studied him, not really sure if she dared to believe him, but she could read the truth in his stance. "Then why did you…"

"Let you believe that I had been thinking of Robin the whole time?" He shrugged. "It was easier. The next day when I went to you, I waited to see if you would mention it. But you never even mentioned the previous night. You treated me the same, and you looked so relieved when I didn't mention it either, so I didn't bring it up," he sighed. "Until last night I didn't know how much I had hurt you, that you had feelings for me even then."

"Are you still in love with Robin?" She didn't want to know but she had to.

"Yes."

Elizabeth flinched, closed her eyes and turned away from him trying to hide the pain his words had inflicted in her.

"That's why what is going on here is so hard. I hate that I'm hurting you. I know I should stay away from you, but I want you and at the same time I don't want to want you. I know this makes no sense and I'm probably hurting you more by trying to explain how I feel, but I have to try to make you understand." He moved back to the bed to scrub a hand over his face. How could he make her understand when he couldn't himself? He wondered staring at the jade dragon in his hand.

She moved to her studio doorway, her eyes drawn to a portrait of him that was propped against the wall. Even after everything he had said, she still loved him, now she knew she always would. She sighed, she knew he liked her, but somehow that made it worse. She also knew he wanted her, but was afraid of hurting her, because the want was all he had to give to her. He wasn't trying to hurt her, he was just being Jason, and God she still wanted him. Her decision made, she flipped off the light and sadly closed the door to her studio, locking away that part of her dream. She could do this.

"Elizabeth I…" he looked up at her, his eyes widening in surprise, "What are you doing?"

"You're right Jason, this is your shirt, I thought I should return it." She told him and pulled the shirt off and threw it on the table.

"Elizabeth," he repeated as she moved towards him. "What?"

"I'm simplifying things Jason, just bringing this all down to the basics." She reached behind her to unhook her bra. "You want me, and it's painfully obvious that I want you too. So let's do this. How did you put it? I have these feelings and I need someone, I need you," She said, letting the bra drop on the floor.

His body tightened at the sight of her, she was even more beautiful than he had thought. "Stop."

"Don't worry," she said lowering her shorts and stepping out of them. "It's your rules tonight. For one night only it's just you and me." She took the dragon from his hand and set it on the bed. "No strings." She pushed him down on the bed. "No feelings, just the want we have for each other." She straddled him then, holding her body aloft over his.

"This way we both get what we want, you'll get rid of the frustration of wanting me, but not wanting to have a relationship with me," she said lowering her body slightly to move it slowly, teasingly over his, causing his own to shudder in reaction. "And I'll get over this dream of wanting something that will never be."

She lowered her head to kiss him, and he caught it to stop her, he didn't like the half-crazed look she had in her eyes. "Elizabeth."

She jerked her head away. "No regrets Jase, I promise. Tonight it's just about meaningless sex," she said before fusing her mouth to his. Her fingers dove in his hair and her body dropped down to his, the vibrating power of the kiss grew hotter. The heat from her mouth was almost brutal as she worked her mouth over his.

His hand went to her head, and tried to change the angle of the kiss, but she twisted away from his hold, her mouth racing over his body. She stopped and nipped at his nipple, before flicking her tongue out to trace it and then she did it all over again. Her hands went to his jeans and she unbuttoned them, pushing them open.

__

No regrets Jase, her voice echoed in his head. She never called him Jase. Shaking his head he reached for her again, but she pulled away continuing to run her mouth over his abs to his hips.

__

Tonight it's just about meaningless sex. He sat up and grabbed her shoulders. Pulling her away from him, he studied her face. He could see the desire in her eyes, but more than that he saw the pain and desperation in them as well. "I can't do this, not with you." And he couldn't, it could never be just sex, she mattered too much for that. He was beginning to realize just how much she _did_ mean to him.

She jerked away from him and drew her knees up to her chest to wrap her arms around them. He still didn't want her, even when she had offered to give him what he wanted he still withdrew.

"Elizabeth," he said touching her shoulder.

She recoiled from him and buried her head in her knees. "Get out."

He got up and pulled on his clothes, watching her the whole time. "It's just I can't not…"

"With me, I get it, now get out." She interrupted sharply refusing to look at him.

He moved to the door, she heard him stop. So help me if he says he's sorry, she thought gripping the jade dragon in her hand.

"I'm sorry."

She screamed and threw the dragon at him, He ducked and the dragon crashed against the door breaking in two. "Get out."

"Elizabeth calm down." He said before backing to the door, when her hand closed over a book and she heaved it at him.

He moved out of the door and had just closed it when a something else crashed against the door, it was followed in rapid succession by several more thuds. God he had stepped in it again.

Elizabeth had just pulled on her shirt when she heard him knock at her door, incensed she threw the remote at it.

"Elizabeth I don't want to come in, I just want you to lock the door," Jason called through the door.

She stared at the door, a giggle bordering on hysteria escaped her lips, when he knocked again. Was there ever a more infuriating man then Jason Morgan?

"I'm not leaving until you lock the door."

Fighting back the laughter knowing it would only lead to tears, she waded through the carnage on her floor and locked the door and flipped off the light.

She heard him move away and slid down the door, pausing when she came into contact with something hard. She pulled it out of her way, sat on the floor, and studied her dragon. It was the dragon he had bought for her, when he had bailed her and Emily out in Mexico, it had been her favorite and now it was broken, just like her heart. Giving in she finally let the tears fall.

Jason walked back down the hall to her door, he couldn't leave it like this. His hand hovered over the door ready to knock when he heard her tears. He clenched his fists as he stood there and listened to her cry, and knowing he was the cause of her tears hurt him more than the beating he had taken earlier. 

****

~Penthouse~

Jason nodded to Francis. "I know it's late but I need to see him."

Francis nodded and let him in the room. Jason walked into the empty living room and took a deep breath before heading for the stairs. "Sonny can you come down."

He was at the window when Sonny came down a few minutes later, he looked at his friend before heading to the bar and pouring a drink.

"I need to get out of town for a while."

Sonny said nothing he leaned against the desk and waited.

"Did you hear me?" Jason asked turning from the window.

"Yes, but I didn't hear why?"

"I just need to get away, I need to think," he paused. "Its too loud here right now, it's to loud in my head."

Sonny raised his eyebrows in surprise and studied the amber colored liquor in his glass. "Is this about Elizabeth?"

He jerked out a chair from the table and sat down wearily. "Why do you think it's about her?"

"Because she is the only person who can make you act like this." Sonny answered crossing to the table to join him.

"Act like what?"

"Edgy, angry, on the edge of control."

"I've been like that almost my whole life." He retorted.

"No, once you began to use your control you stopped. In fact you became so in control people started thinking of you as a machine."

"I'm not a fucking machine," he cried getting to his feet. "I'm a man with needs and feelings. I wish to god I was a machine then I wouldn't be so damn confused all the time."

Sonny watched Jason pace the room, no one who saw him now would ever think he was unfeeling. "What happened tonight with Elizabeth?"

"How did you…" He stopped, "I hurt her again, I didn't want to but I did."

"Did she do that?" Sonny asked gesturing to the band-aid on Jason's head.

"No someone else did that, she bandaged me up after she hit the guy with a baseball bat."

Sonny laughed. "A bat? God she's lethal around ball equipment."

"She had no business being involved," he snapped glaring at Sonny. "She had no business being on the docks at that time of night with only a bat for protection."

"Was she hurt?"

"No I was there, but still, she shouldn't be living where she is living, but will she listen to me? No. She just gets mad at me. Sometimes I just want to strangle her. She always has an opinion, she won't let you get away with anything." He broke off when he saw Sonny's grin. "What?"

"I've never heard you talk so much. You must really be crazy about her."

He frowned. "I'm in love with Robin, I told her that."

Sonny shook his head. "You told her you were in love with Robin?"

"Yes, I told her I couldn't get involved with her because of Robin and I thought she understood, but then she kissed me and…" he sat down again.

"And?"

"And I hurt her bad, I made her cry."

And hurt yourself in the process, Sonny thought sipping his drink. "Jason I told you, you need to let Robin go."

"How am I supposed to do that?" He demanded. "I mean I don't want to do that."

Sonny caught the slip. It was time. "Do you think of Robin when you are with Elizabeth?"

"No that's the problem, the only person I think of when I am with her is her."

"Then you're already letting her go."

He looked at him appalled. "Then I really need to leave."

"Jason running away isn't going to help, your heart is telling you it's ready to let go of the past, you just need to do that."

"I can't," he said shutting his eyes. "Working for you and loving Robin is who I am. I don't know how to be anything else. I don't want to be anything else."

"Jason your job doesn't define who you are, neither does the person you love. Only you can define yourself." Sonny said softly.

He only shook his head. "You don't understand."

"I understand that you are doing to yourself, the same thing that the Quartermaine's tried to do to you."

"What?"

"The Quartermaine's looked at you and said that this is who you are. They shoved Jason Q down your throat and told you that what he was defined who you were now. They never took the time to get to know who you were now. They refused to admit that you had changed." Sonny leaned back in his chair and paused before going on. "Robin did the same thing. She looked at you and saw an angry man who was trying to learn his place in a new world. The problem was she refused to see that over time you had changed and you weren't that angry man anymore."

Jason got up and moved to the window again.

"Now you are doing it to yourself. You are locking yourself into being the Jason Morgan who works for me and loves Robin Scorpio. You refuse to believe that you have changed and that, that Jason Morgan is not who you are anymore."

Jason tried to block out Sonny's words, but they got through just like they always did. "I love her," the words slipped out.

"Then tell her."

"Robin knows I love her." He was thinking about Robin right?

Sonny groaned and pinched his nose in frustration, before moving to the window beside Jason. "There is all kinds of love in the world Jason. You were in love with Robin, I could see that before you even fully knew what the word meant."

He nodded slowly, relieved that Sonny was making sense again.

"You will always love Robin too, I know that. But you are not _in_ love with her anymore."

He jerked away from him and headed to the bar. "That doesn't make sense, what you said."

"Being in love with someone, and loving someone are two different things. I was in love with Brenda and I loved Lily. Do you see what I am saying? Robin has been moved to the loving part, at least by your heart, you just need to wrap your stubborn head around that fact." Sonny explained wearily, from the set of Jason's shoulders he didn't know if he was getting through or not.

"I want to leave tonight."

Sonny sighed. "You're determined to go?"

"Yes."

"Take the Puerto Rico run then," Sonny sat at the table again.

Jason headed for the door, only to stop when he got there. "There might be a problem."

"What?"

"She says it's nothing but," he turned to face Sonny. "There is a guy who is bothering her. I need to know that she will be safe."

"I'll keep an eye on her, so will Johnny."

Jason frowned he didn't want Johnny keeping an eye on her.

Sonny smirked at the frown, for once Jason was transparent, he was jealous of Johnny. "Jason remember what I said."

Jason moved into the hallway, he didn't think he had a choice but to remember.

****

~Garage~

"Elizabeth Imogene Webber, get your butt out here and talk to me." Emily's voice echoed through the garage.

Elizabeth groaned, picked up a bucket, and headed outside. "There's no need to shout, I'm right here."

Emily whirled around and followed her to a Rolls Royce that was parked a few feet away, "Finally."

"Finally? Em I've seen you every day." Elizabeth bent down to fill the bucket with water.

"Yes but today is the day you are going to talk to me."

Elizabeth swallowed a sigh, Emily had been hounding her for days, ever since that night. That night she had kicked Jason out of her apartment and apparently out of town too. A night, that was 8 days and some 192 hours ago. "Fine what do you want to talk about?"

Emily practically screamed in frustration. "You know I'm going to start wondering how many times you have been dropped on your head if you keep this up."

Laughing she began to soap the windows of the car.

"What happened with you and Jason?" Emily yanked the sponge out of Elizabeth's hand.

"Nothing, I already told you that." She answered grabbing the sponge back.

"Right and right now my Grandfather is closing ELQ and turning it over to Greenpeace." Emily snapped in annoyance. "Something happened last weekend, you have been weird ever since and Jason left town, and I know it wasn't on business."

"How do you know?"

"I asked Sonny."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"Because he is my brother and I was worried, you haven't given me any answers, that prove to me I shouldn't be."

"I'm sorry Em, you really are in an awkward place aren't you? I'm your best friend and he's your brother." She scrubbed harder at the window. "So what did Sonny tell you?"

"That he showed up late Sunday night looking like hell, and said he needed to get out of town."

No he needed to get away from me.

"So I ask again Elizabeth Webber what happened?"

"It's over Emily. No, that's not true. For something to be over it has to have a beginning. We never began so we can't be over right?" she paused looking at a baffled Emily for confirmation. "Anyway it's done. Finished. Jason Morgan is out of my head and soon will only be on the periphery of my life."

"You don't mean that, you are in love with him."

"No I'm not." Elizabeth yelled before taking a deep breath looking for control. "I only thought I was."

"Elizabeth."

"It was a case of lust. Pure unadulterated lust, and lust is a long way from love." Elizabeth turned on the hose to spray the soap off the window. "And in the end even lust wasn't enough."

"What do you mean?"

"You want to know how stupid I was about your brother? I'll tell you. I offered myself to him like I was a dessert plate. One night, no strings, no attachments, just sex and you know what? He didn't even want that from me, he still turned me down."

"I'm sorry." Emily wished desperately that she could find her brother and smack some sense into him.

"I'm not, it was a hell of a wake-up call. It showed me how truly pathetic I had let myself become over Jason. I was willing to have a one-night stand with him and I don't do that. Him turning me down saved me from something I would have regretted my whole life." She turned on the hose again. "It also proved to me how insane I was for thinking I loved him. Well I am over that now."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked eyeing her friend warily, Elizabeth was getting angrier by the second.

"I am so over Jason. No to quote Ross Geller, I'm so over him, I don't even know when I was under him. He could walk out of that garage stark naked and it wouldn't faze me in the least. He has his life and I have mine, and never the twain shall meet."

"You work here, of course their going to meet."

"Not for long. I'm making some changes in my life. It's all rather liberating. This borderline obsession I had for Jason is gone and I can live my life again." She said widening the spray on the nozzle of the hose.

"Really?" Emily asked doubtfully, before her attention was diverted by something over Elizabeth's shoulder. "So if he were to start dating Carly you wouldn't have a problem with it."

She'd rip his damn eyes out. "Not in the least."

"Well that's going to be a relief to her." Emily cocked her head in the direction of the garage.

Elizabeth turned and saw Carly making her way to the garage. She turned back around and smiled at Emily before heading to the car. "She's welcome to him.

"Okay," Emily nodded counting to five in her head.

"Hold it Blondie." Elizabeth yelled, throwing down the hose, stalling Carly in her tracks.

Emily grinned she only got to three.

Carly whirled around to face Elizabeth. "You little bitch."

"Problems?" Elizabeth asked sweetly stopping a few feet in front of the blonde.

"You're going to have a lot of problems you little grease monkey. How dare you humiliate me like that? Don't try to tell me you didn't do that deliberately either." Carly snarled advancing on her.

"Carly it was as deliberate as you kissing Jason every time I walked by or you leaving your underwear in his room." Elizabeth smiled slyly. "I bet you regret that little stunt."

Carly's eyes narrowed and she leapt forward tackling Elizabeth and driving her to the ground. Elizabeth's elbow scraped over the gravel and she let out a curse before freeing her arm to swing at Carly.

Emily stared at them as they rolled over the ground cursing and punching each other. She saw Lucky come out of the garage and hurried over to him.

"No biting." Elizabeth snapped getting leverage on Carly for a minute.

"That's what you always do, not me." Carly snapped back, driving her fist in Elizabeth's side bucking her off of her.

Lucky moved closer watching the two women with a look of awe on his face this was better than cable. He wondered if they would start tearing off their clothes like they did in porno. God why had he forgotten his camera?

"Do something." Emily demanded coming to a stop beside him.

Lucky looked at her in surprise, "What?"

"Stop them." Emily yelled shoving him towards them.

Carly had just pinned Elizabeth again when Lucky reached down and tried to pull her off of Elizabeth. Carly jerked free and ducked just when Elizabeth swung. Her fist caught Lucky across the jaw sending him staggering backwards until he collapsed on the ground unconscious.

Both women turned to watch him fall, then looked back at each other and shook their heads. Elizabeth moved suddenly and reversed their positions so she was on top.

Emily shook her head in disbelief she had to stop this.

"You pull my hair again and I am going to rip yours out by your dark roots," Elizabeth threatened her gripping a handful of the hair in her hand.

Both women jolted in surprise as a blast of water hit them stopping their fight. Elizabeth sputtered and spit water out of her mouth looking to see who had the hose, her stomach fell to her knees, Jason.

Carly took advantage of her stunned immobility and clipped Elizabeth on the jaw, sending her backwards. Elizabeth got to her knees and went after Carly again.

Jason stepped in between them and grabbed their arms yanking them to their feet. "Knock it off."

"Stay out of this Jason this is between me and the little grease monkey." Carly snapped yanking her arm away.

"Well it's over now."

"Grease monkey, listen you blonde bimbo." Elizabeth cried trying to go around him.

Jason slipped his arm around her waist and picked her up carrying her to the garage.

"Put me down, you idiot." Elizabeth yelled trying to get free. "Goddamn'it Morgan."

Carly took a step forward to follow them into the building when Sonny stepped in front of her. "Going somewhere Carlybabes?" he asked with a smirk.

****

~Office~

Jason set Elizabeth down and quickly stepped back to avoid the punch she threw at him. "What the hell do you think you were doing?"

"Stopping you two before someone got hurt."

"Why? Who asked you?" She slammed the door in frustration. "You're not the boss of me."

"Actually I am your boss and you were fighting on my property." He countered moving behind the desk. She still looked ready to blow, knowing her temper as well as he did he scanned the office for objects she would be capable of throwing.

"Not for very much longer."

"What did you say?"

"I said you're not going to be my boss for very much longer." She searched through the papers on his desk and waved one in front of his face. "See."

He snatched the paper from her hand and scanned it. "What the hell is this?"

"Well in the business world it's known as a letter of resignation or a two week notice. Either way if you check the date you'll see I only have a few days left before I'm gone."

Leave, his gut clenched at the thought, she couldn't leave. "You're quitting?"

"Yes." She wondered why she didn't feel more relieved that he finally knew.

"What I leave town for a few days and you quit on me?"

Don't read too much into that, she ordered herself. "Yes, and it was more than a few days."

"You told me to go."

"I told you to leave my apartment not leave town."

"I needed to go." He said softly.

Yeah you needed to get away from me. "Fine, whatever, I didn't know how long you would be gone and I refuse to put my life on hold for you ag…" she paused and backpedaled. "So I went ahead and submitted my notice. You now have 4 days to replace me."

"What the hell are you going to do?" There was no way he could replace her, not professionally or….

"Here's a news flash Jason I don't want to be a grease monkey for the rest of my life.

Those words caused him to study her. "I didn't know you were unhappy being a mechanic."

"That's because you don't know me."

Now that stung. "Of course I know you."

"No you don't. Knowing someone entails more than just shooting the breeze about nothing. It means more than just fooling around with them." She explained moving to the file cabinet, picking up a distributor cap. "You never took the time to get to know me."

"That's not true." He said eyeing her warily.

"Really?" She asked turning to face him. "Tell me what's the one thing that I do everyday, that I love more than anything else?" She moved closer to him, "What do I want to do with my life? What are my dreams?"

He looked at her but said nothing, he couldn't, he didn't know.

"See you can't answer can you?" She backed off sadly, "You can't answer because you never took the time to find out. Because if you asked me stuff like that, it would mean you were getting personal with me. We both know you don't like to get personal, you prefer being anonymous." Realizing she was about to lose it she headed for the door. "You got 4 days Jason."

"Running away won't solve anything."

She turned to face him. "Running. That's what you do best Morgan." Giving in to temptation she threw the distributor cap at him. "I'm just following your lead." She said walking out and slamming the door behind her.

Jason caught the cap and calmly set it on the desk, he wasn't going to let her provoke him. She wanted a reaction from him and he wasn't going to give it to her. The hell he wasn't. He slammed out of the office and right into Johnny.

Johnny put his hand on Jason's chest and pushed him back slightly. "We need to talk."

"Not now." He said trying to brush by him.

"Yes now." Johnny said shifting in front of him again.

He drew back and looked at him coldly. "What do you want?"

"You need to quit jerking her around, she's fragile." Johnny said getting right to the point.

He snorted there was nothing fragile about Elizabeth Webber, except her tears, a little voice whispered in his head. He shook his head blocking the voice. "She's fine we always fight like that."

"No she's not fine you hurt her."

He stared hard at Johnny, he didn't need Johnny to tell him he hurt her, he didn't need Johnny in his face at all. "What goes on between me and Elizabeth is between me and Elizabeth."

"Not when you hurt her and then leave town so someone else has to help her pick up the pieces," Johnny retorted. "You did that. She is a strong woman Jason, but even strong women have their breaking points and you are driving her to hers. I'm telling you right now to stop it."

He didn't like what Johnny was saying, that it was true only made him hate it more. "Why? What is she to you?"

Johnny shook his head in frustration. "She's my family. She is as much my family as Emily is yours. I don't care if you are one of my bosses. I don't care that you can order me around. You will make up your mind and stop hurting her or I will be all over your ass."

Jason glared at the man but said nothing.

"Do you hear me Jason? Because I meant every word."

Nodding he moved past Johnny and headed outside.

Elizabeth was bent over a still unconscious Lucky talking to Emily, but she knew the instant he stepped outside. "I'm leaving now," letting Lucky's head fall back to the ground with a thud she headed to her car.

Carly started towards Jason, but Sonny caught her arm. "Watch and learn." He told her.

"Learn what? I already told you Jason and I have a connection that will always be there. No one gets to him like I do." Carly snapped yanking her arm away.

Sonny smirked at her. "Really? Take a look at that." He said pointing towards Jason.

Jason followed Elizabeth. "I wasn't finished talking to you."

She turned. "What is it with you? For months you barely say two sentences at once and now all of a sudden I can't shut you up. Every time I turn around you want to talk or explain things. I don't care."

"Wait." He said catching her arm.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but go back to your silent and still routine Jason it suits you much better," yanking her arm away, her gaze fell on a grinning Johnny who had just walked out of the garage. At her furious glare he quickly lost the smile, she turned away and opened her car door.

"Damn'it you are going to listen to me." He yelled slamming the door closed.

"You don't tell me what to do." She yelled back opening her door again.

He kicked the door closed. "You are not going anywhere." His face was lined in livid frustration that only she could produce in him.

"If you keep this up I really am going to hate you." She yelled at him shoving him away from her car.

He snapped. Elizabeth watched it happen, she saw the temper just vanish from his face and a mask descend over it. Wary she inched back a step when he reached for her. Before she had a chance to say a word, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and headed for his bike.

Her stunned silence lasted only a second before she started squirming against him. "Put me down you Neanderthal." She yelled hitting at his sides with her fists.

He reached up and smacked her butt shocking her for a few seconds.

"Aren't you going to do anything?" Elizabeth yelled at Johnny.

"Have fun." Came his reply.

"You sonofabitch."

Jason set her down on the bike. "Don't even think about it." He ordered before she could even move.

Her eyes narrowed. "You know I think I am going to enjoy this bike after I kill you."

"Oh man." He muttered and got on the bike.

Sonny looked at Carly. "So what kind of reaction do you get out of Jason?"

****

~Ruins~

Jason felt her eyes boring into him the whole way out of town. She had refused to hold on to him, choosing instead to grip the seat. So he took the route slower, especially the cliff road. Another reason for the hesitation was the fact he had forgotten to get her a helmet. For the first time ever he had someone on the bike with him without a helmet. He was mad that she had made him so mad that he forgot it in the first place. He brought the bike to a stop and pulled into an old drive. She slid off the bike immediately and walked away from him.

"What the hell is with the Tarzan routine?"

"I wanted to talk to you without any interruptions and with no place for you to run to."

"So you shanghai me and bring me out to the middle of nowhere?" She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, "I know how to drive a motorcycle Jason, and the middle of nowhere is the best place to leave a body."

He glared at her but shoved the bike key deep in his jean pocket. "If you are through with your temper tantrum, I'd like to talk now."

Temper tantrum? She'd show him a temper tantrum.

He watched her face grow red in anger and moved quickly, grabbing her arms and pinning them to her sides before she could swing at him. "Maybe I didn't use the right words."

"You think?"

"Please let me talk to you."

She hardened her herself against the please, that was cheating. "A week later and you want to talk? Well excuse me for not falling prone at your feet and chanting I'm not worthy because the great Jason Morgan finally wants to…"

He shut her up the only way he knew how, with a kiss, he felt her respond and felt relief enter his system he hadn't blown it with her entirely.

She responded for a second longer than jerked away from him. "You're not doing this to me again. I don't want you."

"That's not what you said last week, or just now when you kissed me back."

She flinched as the words struck home. "Hormones they happen to everyone."

"It was more than just a reaction, you still want me."

"I told you last week that it was a one shot deal. Guess what you blew it. The temporary insanity that caused me to even make the offer is gone and it will not be back," she paused before turning on him. "I got my self-respect back so the opportunity for a wham-bam thank you ma'am fuck is gone."

"Don't talk about yourself like that." He caught her hand. "It was never going to be like that even if we hadn't stopped."

"Don't you mean you stopped," she snapped tugging at her hand, "I don't want you to touch me."

He let her go but kept close to her. "I stopped because you meant too much to me for a casual fling."

"Right," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway it's done the offer won't be repeated, can we go now?"

"No I want…" he trailed off, moment of truth what did he want? He had been thinking about her the entire time he was gone, her and what Sonny had told him. Now here he was and he still didn't know what to do. _Quit jerking her around_. Johnny's voice rang in his ears.

"What do you want?" she demanded bringing him out of his reverie.

"You."

She sucked in a breath. "Too late. The only way anyone will have me is through dating, a relationship, and all that, not just a fling."

He was quiet watching her.

Unnerved she went on. "Come on Jason that's your cue. This is the part in the conversation that you tell me that you want me, but you don't want to want me; that you like me, but you love Robin. That all we are is friends who happen to kiss a lot."

He really had been a bastard to her. "Come with me to the Nurses Ball."

She stared at him in surprise. "Did you hit your head? Because that sounded like you asked me for a date."

"God how do you do this to me? You make me so mad I want to scream or throttle you." He yelled turning away from her only to immediately turn and stalk back towards her holding out his hand. "You see what you drive me to?"

She looked down at his hand. "My hair band, I've been looking for that." She reached out for it and he closed his fist around it and dropped his hand.

"You can't have it."

"Okay." She said cautiously, maybe he had been hit on the head.

"I have been carrying this around with me everywhere I go since that day I kissed you in the garage, and I don't like it." He said beginning to pace.

She watched him in wide-eyed fascination this was a part of Jason she had never seen before.

"I left town to get away from you. But every time I closed my eyes there you were. I can't dream did you know that? But Damn'it there you were, I don't like that. So I've come to a decision. I have feelings for you, strong feelings and I want a relationship with you." He said stopping in front of her. "I know I've been an ass and I have hurt you repeatedly, but I hope you will give me another chance," he held out his hand to her. "Please."

****

~Cottage~

"Hello."

__

"Emily it's Elizabeth."

"Hey what happened with Jason?"

__

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"I'll make time, why?"

__

"I need to go shopping for a dress for the Nurses Ball."

Emily let out a whoop. "I'll be there at noon."

"Good news?" Nikolas asked when she hung up the phone.

"The best, Jason asked Elizabeth to the Nurses Ball." She smiled and crossed to him.

"So your plan worked and the relationship is going to happen." Nikolas said with a frown.

"Yes. Don't tell me your going to go off with he's to dangerous for her, because so help me."

"Of course not." He grinned pulling her to him. "I'm hardly one to talk with my family."

"That's right and don't go knocking my plans either. After all that's how I got you." She said before kissing him.

"Oh really I don't remember it that way."

"I do," Emily pushed him on the couch. "I remember coming over here one day and basically jumping on you kind of like this." She laid down on top of him.

"That's ringing a bell."

"Speaking of which, I think we were right about here." She pulled off her shirt, "When Katherine Belle walked in."

"You did not go there."

"No you did." She giggled when he rolled them onto the floor.

__

Song Credit Cool Rider from Grease 2


	7. The gift of tits

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 6

****

~Ruins~

"I have been told that this is your butt phone." Elizabeth held the cell out to him.

"So does that mean yes?" After his outburst a few minutes ago she had looked at him for the longest time before moving away from him to stare at nothing. When she finally came back, she took his phone from his pocket and called Emily.

"I wouldn't subject myself to an afternoon of shopping with Emily if it wasn't a yes."

Jason smiled, the first real one in over a week. "I'm glad." He caught her hand and drew her to him.

"Did you ever doubt it?" She slipped her arms around his waist, tilting her head back to look at him.

"Yes." He answered honestly bringing his forehead down to rest on hers.

"Good answer." She murmured smiling softly before turning her head slightly and pressing her lips against his in a light sweet caress. "Because if you start thinking that I'm a sure thing all bets are off."

"I'll remember that." The humor was evident in his voice, she felt so right in his arms. He brushed a kiss on one cheek and then the other before slowly trailing his way to her mouth, setting off sensations in both of them as he did so.

The teasing banter was gone the instant they kissed. The new, yet somehow familiar, intensity that sparked between them whenever their mouths touched was awakened again. This time it was stronger than it had ever been. The week without each other only added power to the need between the two.

God he had missed her, he had been feeling half-alive for so long now, he had actually gotten used to it. Somehow when he was with her, it was gone, replaced by her. He was finally close to her again, his hands worked their way over her body, and he only wanted to be closer still.

She felt like she could kiss him until the world spun off its axis and never, ever tire of it or him. His hands brushed her shoulders causing her to flinch and jerk away from him.

"Are you okay?" The words were a demand, his hands slipped under the collar of her shirt, pushing it from her shoulder, exposing the teeth marks there.

"Damn'it I told her no biting."

"Carly bit you?" What was going on with all the biting lately?

"I should have known she couldn't stick to the rules. She never has any other time why would she in a fight?" Elizabeth cried looking at her shoulder. "I shouldn't have pulled that last punch."

"Rules?" He shook his head. "What rules?"

"You know leverage rules." She snapped only to stop when she felt the breeze against her bare skin. Curious she looked down and discovered that the buttons of her shirt had been undone to her waist. "Christ Morgan you in a hurry or something?"

Jason watched her flush work it's way down from her face over her pale skin. 

Glaring at him she hurriedly buttoned her shirt … the man was good. Unnerved and drawn by that unwavering stare she took a deep breath there were a few things they were going to have to get straight.

"What do you mean leverage rules?" The question caused her to lose her train of thought.

"You know leverage rules?" At his blank look she went on. "In a fight when you get leverage on someone you can name a rule that has to be used during the fight. Like with Carly I told her no biting but apparently she didn't understand what that meant."

Jason was positive that she had lost it. Rules during a fight? That made no sense. "Is that how girls fight?"

"No it's how we fight with guys too. Normally a guy's first rule is no shots to the groin, so you have to get in those jabs quick before you lose your leverage." He was looking at her like she had lost her mind.

He shook his head, catching her hand and pulled her closer, studying her knuckles. "No cuts anywhere that's good."

"Yeah well if you don't close your fist all the way, it minimizes the damage to your knuckles." She told him absently and felt her stomach flip when he brought it up to his lips and placed a kiss on the bruised knuckle. Oh man she was in trouble.

"You shouldn't fight." He murmured bringing up her other hand to his mouth.

"Um…well, you're not in the position to lecture me about getting into fights."

"Guess not." He bent down to kiss her again.

"No." She put a hand on his chest and pushed, propelling him back a step. "Quit trying to distract me."

"Distract you from what?"

"The rules," pausing she let out a breath. "Before we go any further there are a few rules you need to agree to."

Jason caught her arm before she could pull back any further. "What do you mean? What rules?"

"Rules about you and me and this." She gestured and took a step back from him beginning to move. "I want to set some ground rules before I even consider going out with you."

"Wait," he caught her arm stilling her mid-movement. "You already agreed to go out with me."

"I know but I can change my mind and I will if you don't agree." She retorted pulling her arm loose. "Don't," she snapped when he went to touch her again.

Jason backed off a step his eyes asking the questions he refused to speak.

"I can't think when you touch me and I really need to think. Oh man," Elizabeth groaned catching his smile. "Forget you heard that." If he knew exactly how much power he had over her she would be in trouble.

He wiped the smile off his face and studied her while she moved around muttering to herself. He loved to watch the way she thought hell he loved to watch her period. She came to a stop before him her face set in a determined line. This might not be good.

"I want to take things slow."

"Slow?"

"Yes," she gnawed at her lip for a minute then continued. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me, but you did and I'm not real eager to go back there."

He flinched. His eyes darkened and he shoved his hands into his pockets. He knew he had hurt her, but knowing it and hearing her say it were two different things.

"I'm not saying that to make you feel bad, it's just the truth of how I feel. I don't want to feel like that again, and unfortunately you have the power to make me feel like that. I know you won't intentionally but still…"

"Alright."

"So although it doesn't look like it. Especially whenever you kiss me, I really don't want to sleep with you," she flushed. "I mean of course I want to sleep with you," she groaned, "I mean I'm just not ready yet."

"Elizabeth I said okay we'll take it slow."

"You did?" She smiled slightly in relief, now for the embarrassing part. "I need you to promise me that you won't push me on this."

"I wouldn't."

"I know, it's just..." she turned away a little embarrassed to face him. "I don't have a lot of control when it comes to you, so it would be real easy for you to make me forget. I know it's unfair to you, but I just need some time."

"I promise," he turned her to face him, "I also promise I'm not…"

"Stop," stepping up quickly she put her finger over his lips. "That's the other rule. No promises, other than that one. Whatever happens between us happens, no promises or guarantees, whether it's one date or twenty we just play it out."

Jason frowned he didn't like the sound of that.

"That didn't come out right. What I meant was, we need to take this relationship one day at a time. Sort of like the AA of dating."

"What?" Why did she always confuse him?

"You know Alcoholics Anonymous' motto one day at a time. In this case it would be one date at a time," she grinned up at him. "So are you willing to play by my rules?"

His hands slid around her waist. "Yes I can do that." And he could he would prove himself to her if that was what it would take. "You need to agree to one of mine though."

She cocked her head to look at him. "What?"

"I don't share."

Elizabeth blinked up at him in confusion. "What?"

"While we're dating you don't see anyone else." Danny or anyone else was not going to get near her again.

She nodded. "Same goes Jason, although why you felt the need to say anything is beyond me. I'm the one who always found you lip-locked with our resident psycho wanna-be blonde."

"Carly kissed me," Jason argued. "You on the other hand kissed Danny voluntarily." His fists were clenched just thinking about it.

"I what?"

"The other night I saw you kissing Danny in the park. That was right before the bastard left you there alone, drunk, at midnight."

"Jason," she shook her head in exasperation. "You can't hold me responsible for that. You know damn well rum does strange things to me," she paused in consideration. "Wait that was all I did right? I just kissed him."

"I don't know I didn't stay around and watch." Jason moved away from her, if he had he would be behind bars for murder, and wouldn't Taggert love that.

"So if you knew I was with Danny why did you come back?" She asked moving after him.

To kill him and throttle her. "I don't know," he admitted shortly rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "I guess I wanted to make sure that you were alright. It's a good thing I did, the guy was a total idiot for leaving you like that." And a dead one once he found him.

"Yes he was but I'm okay thanks to you," When she slipped her arms around his waist she was grateful she could finally do so. But she could feel the tension in him, and see the anger in his face. "So we're agreed, no promises, we take it slow and no skanks, right?" Looking up at him she was immediately lost in his eyes.

"That's right," he drew her closer and leaned down to smell her hair.

"Good," her voice sounded husky to her ears. "These rules should help us so we don't get hurt." His scent was enveloping her again, her arms tightened on his waist pressing his hips into her. "So we should get back to work then."

"Probably, Sonny's waiting to talk to me." But he made no move to leave instead he brushed his lips over her forehead and down her cheek.

"Right and I have to finish A.J.'s roadster." To hell with it she turned and caught his mouth with hers.

Jason's arms tightened automatically lifting her slightly taking her weight in his arms deepening the kiss. Her mouth left his to move over his skin, finding his ear, nibbling on it to tease, before kissing the tender skin behind it to torment him.

His hands tightened convulsively at her hips, that was one of his most sensitive spots. He knew he should stop this, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do so, not when she felt so good. He caught her head and brought her mouth to his and the kiss turned desperate when his tongue invaded her mouth for an instant to devastate her senses before he abruptly withdrew it again, and broke the kiss.

"We really should get back to work now." He said roughly letting her go and taking a step back from her.

Leave? She opened her eyes slowly fighting her way out of a desire caused haze, she shook her head in disbelief, he wanted to leave?

Jason knew he wouldn't be able to keep his word if she kept looking at him like that. If she kept looking at him like that he was going to pull her to the ground, tear off her clothes and be inside of her…he turned and headed for the bike. "Lucky has probably destroyed the place by now."

He was just doing what she made him promise to do, so she really couldn't plan his death, as tempting as that thought was. She watched him by the bike, moving closer to him, God he was beautiful, exactly why was she holding him at arms length?

"Yeah you have a lot of work to do." She murmured finally. "Replacing me will be hard if I say so myself."

"You're still planning on leaving?" He knew he didn't like that. "I thought we settled everything."

"We did personally, I just don't know if it's a good thing to date my boss." She shrugged trailing her hand on the bike seat. "Besides there are other things I would like to do."

"Oh." Like what? The question was on the tip of his tongue but he didn't ask it. "I hope you will stay, at least until you figure out what those things are."

Disappointed that he didn't ask her what things, but pleased he wanted her to stay she smiled at him slyly. "Tell me the truth you only asked me out because you didn't want to find a replacement."

He bent down and whispered in her ear. "Yes."

"Morgan." She swatted his arm. "That means you owe me."

"I owe you what?" he asked leaning against the bike.

"I get to drive."

"No."

"Yes."

He shook his head. "No one drives this bike but me. No one ever has and no one ever will."

She moved in front of him and placed her hands on his thighs, bringing her head inches from his. "Wanna bet?"

****

~Garage~

"Well will you look at that?" Johnny called.

Sonny and Lucky walked out of the office in time to see Jason's bike roar to a stop. Elizabeth and Jason got off of it and started walking to the garage hand in hand.

Without saying a word Johnny held out his hand. Lucky grumbled and slapped a $20 into it before heading back inside.

Johnny kept his hand out and waited. "You saw who was driving didn't you?"

Sonny put a $50 in his hand. "Damn man you just cost me," he groused to Jason.

Jason stopped. "What?"

"Never mind I see you two have kissed and made up and no hose was necessary," Sonny teased.

"Drop it Sonny."

Elizabeth turned away from the amusement when she heard a car turn on the gravel road behind her. "That's A.J. I need to get the roadster," she said heading inside.

"Hey Elizabeth I'm still waiting." Sonny called after her.

Elizabeth turned to look at him. "You were serious about that?"

"Yes I told you it was good and I wanted it."

Jason watched in amazement when her face went red and she began to shuffle her feet. If he didn't know her better he'd think she was nervous.

"I'll get it to you Mr. C. I can definitely use the money now." A smile bloomed across her face and she practically flew to the roadster.

Jason looked at Sonny the questions evident from his expression.

Sonny shrugged. "I went to see her while you were gone. I'm buying something of hers."

"Hey Jason," the boisterous call came from behind him.

Jason closed his eyes briefly before turning. "A.J."

"Hey how are you man? It's good to see you." A.J. grinned and slapped Jason on the shoulder, completely ignoring Sonny.

"Fine."

"So does Elizabeth have my car ready? Man is she talented with her hands." And they were such nice hands too. "Keshia wants to take it to the Nurses Ball." 

There was no reaction from Jason other than a sigh.

"Are you going? Oh, probably not, Robin won't be there this year will she? I know you don't want to see the family but it would be nice if you stopped by."

"A.J," Elizabeth called from inside the garage.

"Just a second honey. Look Jason just think about it. Mom would love to see you." A.J. slapped his shoulder again before trotting over to Elizabeth.

Jason shook his head. A.J. would never change.

"Well one thing about A.J. he is easy to talk to. He does all the work." Sonny observed quietly moving into the office. "Come on let's finish."

****

~Roadster~

"So I fixed the timing and the suspension. A.J. you have got a beauty here you ought to take care of her."

"I hope he goes."

"What?" Elizabeth paused in her explanation to look up at the taller than Jason, broader than Jason, and definitely not as handsome, version of Jason.

"Jason," he turned to look at her again. "I hope he goes to the ball. I know it would be hard without Robin, but it would be good for him don't you think?"

"Yes, in fact…"

"I know he's still in love with Robin, heck everyone knows that. But I think it's time he goes out again." As long as it's not with Keshia he thought to himself. "Maybe…" he stopped himself with a laugh. "I was going to suggest fixing him up with you. Now that would be funny."

She slammed the car hood down nearly catching his fingers in the process. "Why?"

"Well for one thing he's so quiet which you definitely aren't," shaking his head he went on, oblivious to the glare in her eyes. "Nope you just wouldn't match. Besides I know my brother and his types, that hasn't changed even with the accident. Karen, Keshia, Robin, they were all delicate," he pointed to her grease stained jeans and shirt. "You're not delicate, you just wouldn't fit in." 

"A.J. you know rather than explaining what I did to your car," she took his arm. "I think I ought to take you on a test drive and show you."

"Okay honey," he agreed opening the driver's door.

"I think it would be better if I drive that way I can show you what to expect from this little honey," she gave him a smile that could only be considered evil.

****

~Office~

Jason glanced out the office door when he heard a car peal out of the garage. "Johnny."

"Yes?"

"What was that?"

"I think Elizabeth is showing A.J. the finer points of owning a classic." Johnny said fighting a grin, she looked rather pissed when she roared out of here, and A.J. was already scrambling for his seatbelt.

Jason nodded in dismissal. "So did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Nothing unusual." Sonny knew Jason was fishing for answers and swallowed a grin.

"Good." Why didn't Sonny tell him what he was buying from Elizabeth that made her so damn happy?

"If I were you I would dodge Carly for a while. She wasn't too happy when she left here." Sonny headed out of the office with Jason and Johnny trailing him.

"I can imagine. Elizabeth wasn't exactly thrilled either." Jason broke off. "But I think she was more mad that Carly broke the rules than because of the fight."

"She broke the rules? I should have known." Johnny spoke up with a grimace.

"You know about the rules?"

"Sure Jason leverage rules."

Jason looked from Sonny to Johnny who were both nodding. Why did everyone know about this but him? "Really?"

"Sure my sister Jenna always called no biting first thing, and she was quick let me tell you. But my sister Lily, she had this really long hair, so she always went with no hair pulling. That was hard because sometimes you could only catch her by her hair, she was fast."

Sonny laughed. "And the others?"

"Well Deanna was the strange one. I swear she was adopted. Anyway you never knew what she was going to call," Johnny shook his head in fond remembrance. "Sometimes she would change it around and call things like you can only use your right hand. Of course she did that one when my arm was in a sling because Amy broke my arm."

Now Jason was laughing. "Which one knocked out your tooth?"

"Amy again, she was the youngest and the sneakiest, she liked to lay traps for you."

"And your rule was?"

"No groin shots of course. You know I almost miss them. But it is easier now I only have one sister and I like her so much more than the four terrors."

Jason snorted. "You're not still mad at them are you?"

"Jason as far as I am concerned Elizabeth is my only sister from here on out."

Jason just laughed harder. Seeing Sonny's blank look he explained. "A few months ago for Johnny's birthday Francis and I took him to that little restaurant by Queen of Angels. While we were there this nun shows up and starts talking to us."

"You know I don't think Sonny wants to hear this," Johnny tried to intercede.

"Yes I do. Go on Jason."

"She looked perfectly normal, a habit, a wimple, and she's just talking to us about the church. Of course Johnny and Francis were very polite because they went to catholic schools. I guess they were in fear of her. Then this music starts and out of nowhere she starts to strip. I thought Johnny was going to pass out on the spot. The restaurant is going crazy and cheering her on…"

"You know I think I should bring the car around."

"Stay Johnny." Sonny didn't know what was funnier, the fact Jason was telling a story or the look on Johnny's face.

"She gets on his lap, really working it, her habit on the floor at his feet, Johnny here is just taking off the wimple when Father Joseph walks in."

Sonny laughed. "How many Hail Mary's did you have to say for that one?"

"I'm still saying them." Johnny answered. "See that is why I have no more sisters. Sending a stripper in a nun's habit to me."

"What was her name again?"

"Deb," Johnny answered automatically.

Sonny roared. "She must have made an impression."

The sound of squealing tires caught their attention and the three men looked up in time to see A.J.'s roadster come flying into the lot, do a 180 and come to a jerking stop in front of the drive.

Elizabeth opened the door and got out. "See how much better it handles when you don't ignore the red warning light on your dashboard?" She leaned in the window to take the credit card from a decidedly green A.J. "I'll be right back."

She was whistling when she walked by the men, shooting Jason a wink.

"You know you are a brave man." Sonny commented to Jason when A.J. fell out of the car and hurried to the trash bin to puke.

****

~Office~

"So what I'm trying to say is that…I mean I would like to ask…That is…"

"Spit it out Lucky." Damn machine always knew when to act up.

"Would you go to the Nurses Ball with me? I know you couldn't afford a ticket so I got one for you."

"I'd rather suck wax fruit," Elizabeth muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"I said I am already going with Jason." She breezed outside and headed for A.J.

"You're going to the ball with Jason?" Lucky called after her positive he must have misheard her.

"Yes."

Lucky looked at Jason, what could she possibly see in him?

When Elizabeth walked back to the garage. She saw Sonny hold out his hand palm up to her and grinning. "Jeez," she muttered putting a $20 in his hand. "That was one bet I didn't mind losing."

Sonny laughed heading for his car. "Bye Jason, I'll be expecting that delivery Elizabeth."

"You'll get it Mr. C." She felt Jason's eyes on her. "What?"

"What bet and what package?"

"Why are you asking me personal questions? Are you feeling okay Jason?" she moved inside to put the receipt in the office.

"Goodnight Lucky." Jason said to the boy before closing the garage door in his face and going after her.

Lucky wasn't sure, but he thought he hated Jason Morgan. He heard Elizabeth's laughter coming from inside the garage and he knew for sure that he did.

****

~Apartment~

Elizabeth was in her studio when someone knocked at her door. She glanced at the clock 11:30. If it was Lurky she was really going to hurt him. "Who is it?"

"Jason."

"Just a minute." She looked down in a panic at her paint-splattered shirt and shorts. Heading for her dresser she tripped over her forgotten work boots and went crashing to the floor.

"Are you okay?" Jason called through the door.

"Yes." What was she trying to do? He had seen her covered in oil she sure wasn't going to impress him now. Grumbling, she got off the floor and opened the door. "What brings you by?"

"I was at the warehouse and I saw your light," he waited a beat. "Can I come in?"

"What? Oh sure." She backed up and let him in. "It's kind of a mess, but that's me."

She was wrong it wasn't messy but it was definitely her. Pieces of her were scattered everywhere, the shirt on the table along with some tools, bowls of potpurri, her collection of dragons on the windowsill. He moved further into the room his eye drawn to the painting over her bed. While he was gone the colors in that painting haunted him. He couldn't make out the details but he was still drawn to it. "What is this of?"

"It's a dragon charging his way home."

"Oh." He still couldn't see it.

She stepped in front of him and took his hand in hers, she pulled it up and gestured toward the painting. "You see that ribbon of tannish gold, with the scattered white spots in it?"

"Yes."  
  
"Well that's the beach after a storm, when everything is turned up. The white specks are shells and clams."

Jason nodded and put his other hand on her waist. "What else?"

"See this mess of blues here?" she pointed again guiding his hand with hers. "It's the ocean as it's beginning to crash. Up here is the dragon, he's looking for his way home. He is fully extended you can see his muscles are ripped and taut as he dives down. His expression is fierce he is ready to crash through the water and into his cave under the sea." She lowered his hand. "You have to time the wave just right or it will take you to the wrong cave and he will be lost forever. That is why he views the water as an enemy and not a friend. To him the water means a prison."

"It's good. How did you know all that?" Jason asked putting his hand on her waist. Now that she explained the picture it was clear to him. It really was a powerful image.

"I just do." She shrugged stepping out of his grasp.

"You know for this to work you're going to have to talk to me."

"I talk. Half the time you can't shut me up."

"You accused me of not knowing you earlier today," he moved closer to her. "I want to know you."

Hoisted by her own petard she thought glumly. "Okay ask me a question then."

"Tell me what happened when Sonny came by."

She looked at him in surprise she had been expecting a question about her painting not that.

If she was surprised Jason was stunned. Where exactly had that question come from?

"It was no big deal."

__

"Goddamn'it. How many times do I have to tell you I don't want to go out with you?" Elizabeth yelled opening the door. "Lu…Mr. C."

"You would only have to tell me and mean it once. That is if I ever asked you out." Sonny answered with a smile.

Her face flushed. "I thought you were Lu…someone else."

"I get that a lot," he waited. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, I guess," stepping aside she held out her arm. "It's not the Harborview but it's home."

"You know you shouldn't just open your door without knowing who is there Elizabeth, that's a bad idea anytime but especially in this neighborhood." Sonny's voice was ripe with censure.

"Yes Daddy. So what brings you by?" The color washed from her face and she practically leapt to his side taking his arm and turning him to face her. "He's not hurt is he?"

"No Jason's fine. He just went out of town."

Elizabeth sagged against him for a second in relief. "Thank god," she abruptly jerked away when she realized what she was doing. "Sorry Mr. C."

"It's okay, I'm sorry I scared you."

Embarrassed she moved further away, keeping her back to him. "So what brings you by?"

"Jason was worried about you."

She snorted, "Tell him I'm fine."

Sonny studied her then moved into her studio. "You don't look fine."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She automatically smoothed her shirt and followed him inside the other room.

"You look like you haven't slept in days." Sonny bent down and began to examine the paintings she had propped against the wall.

"I've had a lot on my mind. Look as you can see I am perfectly fine so why don't you leave." Why was he looking at her stuff? No one looked at her stuff except friends.

"Did you do these?" He asked picking one up to move closer to the light to study it better.

"Yes, it's just a hobby, I'm not very good." She moved to fiddle with the paintbrushes on the table to see which one he was looking at. It was one of her favorite landscapes. She tried to read his expression but he had a great poker face.

"This is really good. Why are you wasting your time and talent as a mechanic?" Sonny asked angrily.

Startled by his tone, for a minute all she could do was gape at him. "I don't have any training this is just something I do as a release. Why are you getting mad?"

"Because these are too good to be leaning against a studio wall in the warehouse district."

"Chill Sonny."

"You just shouldn't waste your talent," he stopped and grinned. "What did you call me?"

She turned away. "Mr. C."

"No you didn't you said Sonny."

"I don't know what you are talking about Mr. C. We really need to leave the paint fumes in here are obviously getting to you." She tried to pull the painting from his hands.

"I want this painting. How much?"

"You want to buy it?" She looked at him in amazement. No one had ever wanted to buy one of her pieces before.

"Yes." He studied the landscape again. It was a picture of chaos. The sky was dark and wild looking, a tornado graced the canvas, the trees were stretching at their roots drawn to the swirling winds. She had managed to capture the wildness of the storm. It was dark, it was powerful, and it suited him.

"You can have it."

"No I want to buy it. I want to say I was the first person to buy a Webber original." Sonny grinned and named a price that had her eyes widening in shock.

"I'll make a frame for you then." She had sold her first painting she couldn't believe it.

"Good I'll expect it." He paused at the open door. "He'll be back you know."

She was too dazed to even pretend, "Of course he will he lives here."

"No I mean he'll be back here with you."

"I won't hold my breath." Elizabeth shifted, "I mean why should that matter to me?"

Sonny stepped closer and cupped her chin raising her head so he could see her eyes. "Because you love him, and he is in love with you to. He just needs a little more time to see that."

She pulled her head away. "You're wrong on that one Sonny, he loves Robin."

"I bet you he will be back before the Nurses Ball and I bet he asks you to go with him."

"You know what they say Mr. C, a sucker and their money are soon parted." She held out her hand to agree to the bet, this was one bet she really wanted to lose.

"So that's it no big deal. He bought a painting and made a bet with me."

Jason moved into the studio, he could smell the turpentine then. "Painting is what you meant earlier when you asked me if I knew what you loved to do more than anything else."

"Yes. That wasn't fair of me, you couldn't know I never told you."

"And I never asked." He looked around the room, wishing for the first time in a very long time that he wasn't brain damaged so he could see what she saw.

"Jason it's okay. I know it is difficult to see things like this, its one of the reasons I didn't tell you." She wanted to ease the frustration on his face, crossing to him she hugged him.

"You'll have to explain them to me. I'll see them then, just like I saw your dragon. It was your painting wasn't it?"

"Yes it was one of mine. I'll explain the others if you want." She started to step away only to stop when his shirt started to come with her. She giggled. "I guess I got some glue on me. Sorry," she pulled her shirt free from his.

"What were you gluing?" He couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Nothing," she gestured behind her. "It wasn't going to work anyway."

Jason looked at the table and spotted the broken dragon. Sobering he went over to it and ran a finger over it. "This is the one I bought for you in Mexico."

"Yeah, I broke it." She immediately regretted the words. The last thing she wanted was to remind him of the last time he was here. "In case you haven't noticed I have the tendency to throw things when I'm mad."

"I hadn't noticed." Jason said quietly knowing exactly what she was doing.

She pulled on his arm and led him out of the studio. "It's time for you to go. I need sleep I have a mean boss."

"Mean?"

"Yes he's a real tyrant, but I have my ways around him." She told him backing him to the door.

"What might that be?" 

She beckoned him closer. "I'm a better mechanic than him."

Jason laughed. "Only with cars," he bent down and kissed her lips in a feathery caress and traced a finger down her cheek before opening the door. SLOW he ordered himself, he had to remember to move slow. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah." She watched him move down the hall. "Wait."

He turned in time to catch her as she jumped into his arms, her legs locked around his waist and her mouth fused on his. She bit at his bottom lip to make him open for her. He groaned into her mouth and staggered back into the wall. His hands went to cup her bottom holding her close, then moved up to lose themselves in her hair. Images of her and what he wanted to do with her filled his brain, causing him to moan again. Then as quickly as her attack had begun she jumped down and backed away from him. "I said slow, but not that slow."

Jason stayed there leaning against the wall long after she had disappeared in her apartment. She was going to kill him.

****

~Penthouse 3~

"Wake up Jax, the movie is over." Alexis swatted him with a pillow.

He jerked up and blinked rapidly. "I'm awake, it was a good movie."

Alexis shook her head glaring at him. "How you can sleep through Bringing Up Baby is beyond me," standing she tugged on his hand. "Come on time for you to go, I have Court in the morning."

"Okay what time should I pick you up?" 

"For what?"

"Friday for the Nurse's Ball what time?" he asked stretching the kinks out of his neck.

"Jax you never asked me to the ball."

"I didn't?" Jax swore under his breath, V was supposed to remind him.

"No," Alexis shook her head.

"So I'm asking now." He said with a cocky smile.

"Sorry." She shook her head and opened the door. "I'm already going with someone."

Jax looked through the door and glared in the direction of Sonny's penthouse. "Let me guess Corinthos?"

"Yes he asked me a month ago instead of," she looked at her watch, "3 days before."

"So you won't break it? Not even for me?" He asked with a smile leaning closer to her.

"No." She patted his chest pushing him away slightly. "You'll have to find someone else."

"Where am I supposed to find someone at this late date?"

"That's your problem not mine."

"I suppose I'll get V to go with me." He mumbled.

"Do yourself a favor and don't ask her like that. She's still armed half the time." 

He bent down to kiss her goodbye, and Alexis turned her face so he caught her cheek and not her lips.

Sonny stepped off the elevator in time to see the kiss.

Jax turned to look at him when he felt her tense. "Corinthos."

"Jax." The name was a sneer.

"Well you boys have fun. Goodnight." Alexis quickly closed the door to get away from all the testosterone.

Jax ignored Sonny moving by him and getting on the elevator. Sonny waited until the doors were almost closed. "We'll see you at the ball Jasper." His grin was taunting as Jax glared at him.

****

~Wyndhams~

"Emily why are you bringing me strapless gowns? I have nothing to hold up a strapless gown. That last black one with the points made me look like a flat chested stick figure." Elizabeth wailed.

"Trust me."

"Trust you. For three days you have dragged me shopping, every lunch hour, after work with no end in sight and tomorrow is the Ball," she groaned, "Just shoot me now and get it over with."

"Here put this on," Emily shoved something through the curtain.

Elizabeth looked at the garment, it wasn't a dress and it didn't look like any bra she had seen either. "What is it?"

"Trust me and put it on." Emily called. "It'll work wonders."

"How the hell do you know? You have cleavage. God what is this is a torture device?" Elizabeth's voice carried out into the hall.

"I was a model you learn things," Emily murmured absently picking at her bangs.

"You were a model for all of 15 minutes how much could you have learned?"

"Trust me 15 minutes of modeling is about 12 minutes to long." She broke off to smile at the new arrivals. "Hi V, Alexis, are you shopping too?"

"V is I am just supervising."

"Yeah Mr. Jacks asked me to go to the ball with him." V explained with a small smile.

"V if your going to the ball I think you can call him Jax," Alexis reminded her friend.

"JESUS CHRIST." Elizabeth burst out of the dressing room wearing a bustier and her jeans. "I got breasts."

Emily laughed. "It's amazing what the right accessories can do."

Elizabeth turned around in the three-way mirror, yes she had cleavage for the first time since she was 12. "Look Emily gave me tits."

Alexis laughed while V stared at her in shock. "That was generous of her."

"Emily you are so my very best friend." Elizabeth yelled hugging her. "Now what other colors do these come in?"

****

~Apartment~

Elizabeth nervously smoothed down her dress, it was finally Friday and she was scared to death. Tonight was going to be her first date with Jason she hoped it wouldn't be her last This whole week had been an amazement for her, Jason had come by every night and they had talked and gotten closer. He was opening up to her and it was getting harder and harder to resist him, she was beginning to wonder why she was even trying to. 

She moved into the other room and opened the closet door to study her reflection in the full-length mirror that was hanging there. She couldn't believe that it was her staring back at her. She had went full out today, hadn't gone to work, snuck into a beauty spa like a thief, and spent the day being pampered. Between that insanity and the cost of the dress, most of the money she got from Sonny for the painting was long gone. She sighed and closed the door, everyone deserved to be a Cinderella at least once in their life.

That made Jason Morgan her prince, she giggled at the thought. Jason was a lot of things but a prince was not one of them thank god. He was a flesh and blood man who, at least for now, wanted her. Why? She shook her head that was not a question she felt like dealing with tonight.

Moving into the studio searching for the sense of comfort to calm her nerves, she had gotten ready far to early and now she had time to think. The dragon she was still trying to glue back together caught her eye, she crossed to it, and traced it lightly. Dragons mated for life, once that love was lost, even if it was only a day they were celibate. God what an amazing thought, only one love for them in their whole life. She wondered what if that would be…Whoa brain, apply those brakes. She hadn't even had one date, in public with Jason yet and she was weaving fantasies about forever with the man. "Get a grip Webber."

Tonight was going to be a test, she knew it and so did he, but it was also going to be good. If things went well, tonight she wouldn't say goodnight to him at the door either. Nope tonight he would be with her all night. Thank god very many more cold showers and she would be able to pass for a prune.

The knock on the door interrupted her thoughts of how best to spend the late night hours with Jason. It was time, taking a deep breath she crossed the room and opened the door.


	8. Otto Titsling and rubber chickens

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 7

****

~Apartment~

It was time Elizabeth crossed to the door took a deep breath, opened the door and simply forgot how to breathe. Stunned she stared at Jason in shock. She had never seen him in a tux before, and now she knew why. She wouldn't have been able to keep her hands off of him. The black tux looked like it had been custom made for him, the crisp white shirt and white tie showed off the tan of his skin. The blue of his eyes were more electric than usual. He looked like he had just stepped out of a magazine.

"Elizabeth?"

Jolting in surprise she exhaled loudly when he called her name. It was bad enough he had caught her staring, she did say a slight prayer in relief that he had distracted her before she began to drool. "Jason sorry, I've never seen you in a tux before, you look good," stepping back she opened the door wider. "Come on in."

Jason stepped inside and watched her move to get her purse, the strapless gown clung to her skin, giving her curves he hadn't been aware of her having. He had never seen her dressed up before, and the sight of her now was stunning. She shifted and the light caught her dress causing the sky blue to shimmer into a purplish tinge. "You look different."

She hid a smile, thanks to Emily she could wear a strapless gown. "Thanks I think."

"I'm not any good at this," he told her honestly, stepping closer and brushing a hand lightly over her cheek. "But I've never seen you look better."

"You did fine," catching his hand she brought it to her lips to press a kiss in the palm.

Inching closer, he moved his hand up her arm to rest on her bare shoulder. Their eyes met and the air around them thickened. "I'm afraid to touch you," the words were a caress on her cheek as his head lowered.

"Why?" She tilted her head feeling the shivers that the touch of his breath was producing on her skin.

"I don't want to muss you up." His lips hovered over hers. "And if I do touch you I might not be able to walk away this time.

Oh man her insides seemed to melt at his words and she stepped back. "Give me your hands." Taking them in hers she brought them down to rest at their sides, then stepped closer to him and rose to her toes and pressed her mouth to his.

Their lips met and the desire was instantaneous. So too was the longing that was tired of being held in check. He wanted to breathe her in and spend the night making love to her. Her tongue lightly outlined his lips, and he opened for her angling his head and bending down slightly.

Save for her hold on his hands their lips were the only part of their bodies that were touching. All the need and the want between them were being communicated through that kiss and it just about destroyed them both. Just when he thought he couldn't stand anymore, she stepped away.

Her breath was coming in pants, and her mouth felt bruised, he could arouse so much in her with just a kiss. Her only consolation was the fact that she could do the same to him. "See no harm done."

Speak for yourself he thought dourly. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, picked up her bag and took his hand. "Let's go wake this town up."

****

~Port Charles Hotel~

"Say cheese." Sonny murmured in Alexis's ear just before the flash of the photograph.

"Why do people always say that too late to do any good?"

"Habit." He took her hand to lead her into the ballroom. The room was slowly filling up, but he spotted his table immediately, it was one of the best, and it was empty. "You know your town pariah image is just going to grow after tonight." He told Alexis pulling out a chair for her to sit.

"Pariah?" Alexis asked watching Johnny, Francis and his date sit at the table.

"You're my lawyer, so that's strike one; you're a Cassadine, so that's strike two; and you're attending social functions with me, and that's strike three." Sonny explained grinning in Jax's direction.

"Perhaps, but because I am a lawyer insults don't faze me. Because I am a Cassadine, I am used to death threats and looks, and lastly just because I am here with you does not mean that I am dating you." Alexis shot back. "And quit gloating in Jax's direction or I am going to join Nikolas leaving you here with the boys."

"Hey!"

"Sorry the boys and Francis's date, what was your name again?" Alexis focused on the slow-eyed blonde.

"Caryn." Came the high-pitched reply.

"You've been warned Corinthos," picking up her glass she glared in his general direction.

"Someone's put you in a nasty mood."

"Sorry." She smiled slightly at him.

"No your not." Sonny said with a grin.

"No I'm not." She agreed her smiling widening.

"What is that hooligan doing here?" Edward Quartermaine's voice bellowed through the room, stilling conversation.

Elizabeth felt Jason tense beside her. When the eyes focused on them she tugged on his hand so he would look at her. "What do you say we really give them a show?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Now that's a loaded question." Grasping the front of his tuxedo she pulled him down to kiss him.

"What-what is he doing? This is a public place has he no sense of decorum?" Edward cried.

"Oh Eddie blow it out your ear." Lois Cerullo-Ashton cried thoroughly enjoying the show.

"Listen to me young lady." Edward turned to shake a finger at her.

"Hi everyone." Elizabeth said when they finally reached Sonny's table.

Sonny got to his feet. "You two know how to make an entrance."

Elizabeth quirked him a smile. "I learn quick Mr. C." She moved past him to straighten Johnny's tie. "And where is your date?"

"I didn't ask her."

"Johnny."

"She was already going with someone else." He said defensively.

"Oh you idiot she wanted to go with you."

"Johnny, Elizabeth we need to sit now, their about to start." Jason took her hand and led her to her seat.

The lights dimmed and Lucy Coe stepped on stage to applause, catcalls, and whistles, she did a slow pirouette showing off the barely there dress before heading for the microphone.

"I wonder how she'll end up naked this year."

"What?" Elizabeth looked at Sonny in surprise.

"It's a ritual." He explained, "One year she did it voluntarily stripping to raise money, another year there was a fight, then there was the time she did the chorus line in her slip." He shook his head. "She takes her mistress job very seriously."

Elizabeth laughed and focused on the stage.

"So once again I want to thank you for your marvelous support. Thanks to your continued generosity we are that much closer to a cure." Lucy paused for applause. "Now as for tonight, are you prepared to be amazed?" She paused. "Are you prepared to be moved?" She paused again. "Are you prepared for the unexpected? I hope so because as you know at these balls anything goes."

When the laughter died down she went on. "Well in the words of the infamous Elsie Mae Crumholtz, let's get this show on the road."

"Lucy!" A voice from the crowd called out causing the laughter to start again.

"To start us off tonight we have a nurses ball veteran, we have watched her grow up, and tonight she will show you what I mean. Ladies and Gentlemen Emily Bowen Quartermaine."

****

~Intermission 1~

"Jason unless you want to snap that glass in two I think you should set it down. It was a funny skit." Elizabeth tried to keep the amusement out of her voice.

"And it was educational." Johnny piped up earning a glare.

Alexis and Sonny laughed when Johnny went on and only made it worse.

"I mean I never knew Otto Titsling invented the first, what did she call it?"

"Over the shoulder boulder holder," Francis volunteered, earning himself a withering glare from Jason.

"Exactly." Johnny nodded. "Imagine inventing that and having it stolen by some guy named Phillip de Brassiere."

"Shut up Johnny," Jason ordered.

Elizabeth giggled. "Yeah women could be wearing Titslings instead of bras."

The table erupted in laughter again, Jason leaned closer to her. "You're not helping."

"Think of it this way Jason, the Quartermaines are probably so apoplectic over what Emily did that they'll leave you alone," Sonny told him. "Besides she was wearing more than she would if she was at the beach."

"Thanks for noticing what my sister was wearing."

"Sonny you're not helping." Alexis whispered in his ear.

"I have to wonder about that song though…"

"Johnny." Elizabeth got to her feet cutting him off. "Let's dance."

"Dance, I don't think…" He broke off when she pulled him to his feet.

Francis glanced at Sonny who nodded. "Caryn you want to dance?"

"Yes." Caryn practically leapt from her seat and dragged him to the dance floor.

"Excuse me a minute, I think I need to calm Nikolas down before Emily comes out. It looks like he was as surprised as the rest of us." Alexis murmured leaving the table.

Sonny rested his head on his hand. "So..."

"Drop it Sonny."

"You don't even know what I was going to say Jason."

"Sorry." Jason was tense for some reason. He felt something in the air that he didn't like, it was more than the tux, which he hated. Or the Quartermaines looking at him, which he hated even more. He couldn't quite place it but he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Serious now Sonny looked at Jason. "What's wrong? Did something happen with Elizabeth?"

Jason's eyes went to the dance floor where Elizabeth and Johnny were laughing. Her eyes met his for a second and she winked at him causing his gut to clench. Jason sighed and tried to shrug off the uneasiness. "It's nothing."

"Jason."

"You better watch out someone's moving in on your date."

Sonny turned to look in time to see Alexis and Jax head to the dance floor. "What does she see in that overgrown poster boy?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Sonny glared at Jason, "You've been around Elizabeth to much, now your even starting to talk like her." Sonny got up and crossed to Jax's table, "Ms. Ardnowski, you want to dance?"

"You're a criminal Mr. Corinthos." V told him.

"Alleged criminal, I haven't been convicted." Sonny leaned down and smiled using his dimples, to his best advantage. "And you can't hate me to much, you did save my life."

"I never said I hated you Mr. Corinthos, I said you were a criminal."

"So just think of what secrets you could try to pry our of me while we are on the dance floor." Sonny reached down and took her hand and was surprised at the slight jolt he felt at the contact.

V swallowed hard and stood up, in her heels she was taller than him. She waited for him to back up, most men were intimidated by her height. Instead Sonny smiled, pulled her closer and led her to the floor.

****

~Table~

"Looks like you're all alone. What happened did the grease monkey have to give Johnny a lube job?" Carly asked taking Elizabeth's seat beside Jason.

"Shouldn't you be with Dr. Jones?" Jason kept his eyes trained on the dance floor. If Elizabeth saw this there was no telling what she would do.

"He's backstage he goes on next." Otherwise she wouldn't have dared to sit down. Tony had been pulling away from her lately and she didn't like that. But she also couldn't resist the opportunity to talk to Jason. "I'm surprised that you're here, especially with Ms. Thang, there."

Jason ignored her, the music changed and Elizabeth was now dancing with Francis, so far she hadn't noticed Carly, and for that he was grateful.

"Jason." Carly put her hand on his arm.

"Carly don't do this again, not here." He said tiredly turning to face her. "Do you understand that every time you do this I like you less and less?"

Carly's eyes filled at his words, she couldn't lose him, not now, especially not now. "I'm sorry Jase, you know how I get when I feel threatened."

He sighed and moved his arm to pick up his water. "Were friends and I don't want to lose that, but if you keep doing theses stupid stunts and attacking Elizabeth we won't be anymore."

Hate. It was such a strong emotion, it was hard to hide, and that was what she needed to do now. "Jason you are my best friend, I don't want to lose you so I will try with little Ms. Lube Job, but that is all I can do." She would be damned if she would let Elizabeth Webber kick her out of Jason's life.

He studied her for a long minute, "Carly."

"Shouldn't you be with your date?" Emily's voice came from behind them, "I thought I saw him talking to Bobbie, you don't like him to do that do you? You better go pull that leash."

Carly got to her feet and glared at Emily. "Cute act, maybe one of these years you will be able to fill out that negligee you were wearing."

"Like you Carly? I hope not, you've put on a little weight there Dearie."

"Emily sit." Nikolas stepped in front of her breaking the staring contest with an irate Carly.

Emily dropped into a seat beside Jason. "Don't even start with me."

Jason cocked his head to study her, and waited.

Emily flushed. "It was just a skit, I saw the movie and I loved it so I did it. I already got flamed by the Q's so if you start on me now I am going to scream."

"I like your dress."

Emily looked at Jason in shock then grinned. "You're the best." She cried giving him a hug.

"Don't do it again."

"Emily that act went even better than it did in rehearsal." Elizabeth said sitting on the other side of Jason.

"Wait you knew what she was planning and you didn't tell me?" Jason turned on her with a glare.

"Yes." Elizabeth didn't look a bit intimidated. "What is this supposed to be?" She asked looking at her plate in confusion.

"I think its duck." Johnny told her poking at his own.

"Chicken." Francis offered after studying it.

"Rubber." Elizabeth said tapping her fork on it. "See it bounces."

"It's good." Caryn said taking another bite.

"Doesn't she know, no one eats at these things?" Nikolas whispered to Emily.

"Apparently not." Emily grinned. "Let's give her ours."

****

~Dance Floor~

"You haven't asked me a question, Ms Ardnowski, I'm starting to think that you wanted to dance with me."

V flushed she had been enjoying herself too much. "I'm waiting for my opening Mr. Corinthos." Sonny turned then and V matched him effortlessly. "I want to lull you into a false sense of security before I make my move."

"Really?" He asked dryly, she was amusing when she got so serious, which was most of the time.

"Yes the Sheriff Department's Handbook was very specific on how to question uncooperative suspects."

Sonny laughed, she was quoting a handbook to him. "Did it also tell you to tell the suspect what you were doing?"

V missed a step. "No I guess not." That was smooth Venus.

"Besides your not a cop anymore are you?"

V's expression changed and she looked down at her feet, "No." She admitted quietly.

Sonny was sorry he mentioned it when he saw the hurt in her eyes. "V…"

"Excuse me Corinthos." Jax tapped him on the shoulder.

Sonny stopped moving, "Yes?"

"I believe it's my turn."

Sonny shrugged and let go of her. "A pleasure Ms. Ardnowski," Sonny said dropping a kiss on her hand before moving away.

"What did he say to make you so upset?" Jax demanded taking her into his arms.

"Nothing." He had been charming, V frowned he was a criminal and criminals weren't charming. Were they?

"You shouldn't have danced with him V."

"Why not? Should I spend the night at a table with a bunch of people I don't know while you're off dancing with someone else? Is that why you brought me here Jax?" V demanded stopping in the middle of the dance floor to glare at him. "Well is it?"

Jax glanced around at the people looking at them. "V, you know what I meant. Corinthos is a criminal."

"So is your brother, and you didn't mind when I danced with him." V cried before storming from the floor.

****

~Table~

"Jax is in for it." Alexis said watching him follow the obviously furious redhead to their table.

"Couldn't happen to a nicer guy." Sonny told her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jason why?" Elizabeth looked at him in surprise.

"You haven't said anything about Carly."

"Am I supposed to be mad? Jason she is your friend, I'm not going to tell you, you can't talk with her." Elizabeth leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "I will, however," she nipped at his earlobe, "hurt you very bad if I see you kiss her again."

"Then I'm safe." He told her brushing his lips over hers.

"I know she's your friend but I don't know what you see in Carly." Emily said catching his attention. "She just bugs me."

"Emily she's my friend." Jason said taking a drink.

"Still I think we should set her up with Lucky they would make a great pair."

Jason choked on his water, and set the glass down with a slam. "Emily that is just si…" He stopped himself. He was the only one who knew that Carly and Lucky were cousins, he became aware of everyone looking at him. "Wrong she says she loves Dr. Jones."

"Whatever." Emily muttered when the lights dimmed.

That was close Jason sighed in relief and took Elizabeth's hand in his and brought it over to rest on his leg, while Lucy began her spiel.

****

~Intermission 2~

"God that was hilarious." Johnny said when he could breathe again.

"You have to admit the song fits them." Elizabeth nudged Jason. "Didn't it?"

"I guess. I just never thought I would see A.J. and Ned on the same stage together. What was the name of that song?"

"A modified version of I Hate Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe."

"Ugly Kid Joe?" Alexis asked. "His mother must be so proud.

"Don't worry if you have never heard of him, he's another one hit wonder." Emily told her in passing, following Nikolas to the dance floor.

"Corinthos."

"Curello." Sonny stood up to give her a hug. "We were just talking about your husband."

Lois grinned, "That's my Nedly, it will teach him to make a bet against the Mets."

"You two still fighting over that?"

"I am going to convert him from the Yankees or die trying." Lois looked around the table, her curious blue eyes pausing on Elizabeth before moving on. "Hello Jason."

Jason smiled back she was one of the few members of the Quartermaine family that he liked. "Hello Lois."

Lois waited a beat then took the initiative. "Hi, I'm Lois Curello-Ashton of L&B records, I think we met once through Emily, your Elizabeth right?" She extended her hand.

Elizabeth eyed the nails and shook her hand reluctantly she hoped the manicurist had gotten all the grease from under her nails. "Hi."

Lois felt the callus's on the younger woman's hand, and saw the proud tilt to her head and smiled another reason to like her. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too." She seemed friendly enough and she knew that Emily loved her, that and the fact that Jason hadn't tensed when she came over spoke volumes about the woman.

"So Corinthos, you going to dance with me?"

"Curello you never change." Sonny said with a grin before leading her to the dance floor.

Lois waited until they were a few feet away before she let the first question fly. "So tell me about Elizabeth."

"Do you want to dance?" Johnny asked Alexis who nodded slowly.

Francis pulled Caryn from her plate towards the dance floor.

"I think your grandmother wants you."

Jason turned and saw Lila beckoning to him. He got to his feet. "Come on."

Elizabeth frowned. "She wants you not me."

"If I go to Q country you go." Jason pulled her to her feet.

"Grandmother." Jason bent down kissed her cheek and took the hand she offered.

"Oh my darling it is so good to see you here. I am so delighted that you came that I forgive you for standing me up last week." Jason shifted, and Lila's eyes danced with humor. "My dear that dress looks enchanting on you."

"Thank you Mrs. Quartermaine."

"Lila you shouldn't be around this hoodlum." Edwards blustered moving over to the trio.

Elizabeth felt Jason tense. "Mr. Quartermaine, Emily has been telling me that you know how to do the foxtrot. Would you show me how?" Elizabeth stepped in front of him cutting him off.

Edward stopped so he didn't run into her. "Now…"

"Please." She smiled up at him.

Edward smiled and took her hand. "I would be delighted. Excuse me my dear," he told Lila before glaring at Jason. Elizabeth pulled him away before he could speak.

"She is such a delightful girl."

Jason crouched down beside her wheelchair. "Yes she is."

"I am so happy that you finally noticed. I have always liked her, she was so much fun to drive with."

Jason turned to look at her. "When did you go riding with her?"

Her gaze slid away. "A while ago, she wanted to show me a car she was working on, a Shelby, I believed she called it."

"She took you out in a Shelby Mustang?" Jason's eyes widened.

"Oh yes it was so much fun, especially when I hit the nitrous oxide."

Jason groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Where was Reginald?"

"In the backseat." Lila patted his hand. "Now you know why Edward has always made me have drivers. I love speed. Oh don't frown so dear, no one got hurt and she outran the cops."

Jason shifted his stance to glare at Elizabeth's back.

****

~Dance Floor~

Elizabeth could swear she could feel eyes boring into her, but she shrugged it off. "You are very good Mr. Quartermaine."

"And you my dear are very smooth." Edward said moving into a waltz when the music changed.

"I don't know what you mean?" Elizabeth smiled at Johnny who whirled by with Katherine Belle.

"Don't think I didn't notice how you cut me off from my grandson just now."

"So now he's your grandson, before that he was a hooligan. What will he be in five minutes?"

"You're a cheeky girl, nothing at all like your grandmother."

Elizabeth's smile left her face at the mention of Audrey Hardy. "No I am not like any of the Hardy's or the Webbers."

"Well I hope you at least have some of their sense." Edward said turning her with music.

"What do you mean by that?"

"My grandson. Do you know what your getting yourself into with him?" He hoped she did. There was fire in this girl, maybe she would be the tool to bring Jason home.

"I'm dating Jason, so yes I know what I'm doing." As much as anyone could.

"The life he's chosen," he paused, "he could do so much more."

"That's the key word Mr. Quartermaine." He looked at her in puzzlement. "Chosen. Jason chose his life. It's not the life that you picked out for him, but one he chose. If you can accept that you might just get him back, or at least in the same room."

"Chosen?" Edward's voice rose. "He has chosen to be a criminal, he has chosen that thug Corinthos over his own family."

"I know enough about the Quartermaines to feel safe in saying that your family is not very far below Sonny on the criminal scale."

"What?" Edward looked appalled.

"What was it, the poisoning of Katherine Belle, the death by diamonds of Victor Jerome, and exactly how many times did Alan try to kill Monica? Or Tracy try to kill you?" she paused to smile at him, "not to mention embezzlement, fraud, bribery of a city councilman, faking your own death, should I go on?"

"Alright." Edward snapped, he couldn't help but be amused, "You know you just might fit in."

"Please Mr. Quartermaine this is our first date don't scare me with comments like that." She winked and laughed with him.

****

~Table~

"She seems to have won the old man over." Ned commented sitting beside Jason at the vacant table.

"She has that ability."

"I noticed."

"Interesting number." 

"Don't bring that up again." Ned said with a groan, "Whose trying to eat?"

"Francis's date Caryn," Jason shrugged. "We tried to warn her."

"Well there are doctor's here just in case. I was surprised to see you here."

"It's an important cause." Jason shifted in his seat, he knew Ned was poking his nose in his business, but he didn't mind. Ned wasn't too bad. In a lot of ways Ned was more Quartermaine than the rest of them, but in other ways he was nothing like them.

"I agree. At the risk of making you mad." Ned waited until Jason turned to look at him, "You might want to say hello to Monica, it would make her night, no actually it would make her month."

"Me saying hello would mean that much to her?"

"Jason you saying hello would mean everything to her." Ned paused then decided it couldn't hurt to go on. "She'll try to hold back from touching you and she will try to watch what she says to you, but she will slip up and you will pull back. But for those few moments before you do, those will mean everything to her."

Jason looked at the petite blonde on the dance floor, the woman who always said she was his mother, even when he said she wasn't. Ned was right that was how Monica would behave, but he was getting used to it, she wasn't so bad.

Ned patted him on the shoulder and got up. "Just think about it."

****

~Dance Floor~

"So does he dance Mr. C? Or does he just glower?"

Sonny laughed. "No he dances, Lily taught him how." He waited for the flash of guilt he always felt whenever he said her name, this time, when it came, it was weaker than it had ever been.

"Oh." Elizabeth was quiet, she didn't know what to do, Lily had died before she moved here, but she knew it was a touchy subject for Sonny.

"It's okay I'm the one that mentioned her, I'm not going to fall apart." Sonny said with a smile.

Elizabeth grinned when Johnny went by with Felicia Jones. "He's making the rounds tonight."

"He always does, he seems to be a hit with the ladies when it comes to dancing." Sonny shook his head he never quite figured out Johnny's secret.

Elizabeth's eyes lit in humor. "You want to know why?"

He nodded.

"I'll tell you it's because…"

****

~Table~

"So Jason you've been holding out on us." A.J. said clapping him on the back.

Jason swallowed a groan and a sip of water.

"You and Elizabeth." He shook his head. "Here I thought you were carrying a torch for Robin and all this time you've been doing Elizabeth."

Jason turned to glare coldly at A.J. "What?"

A.J. backed off when faced with that icy expression. "Hey man no offense. I'm just glad you're not alone anymore. I need to find Keshia."

"See Ms. Davis I didn't step on your feet." Francis said pulling out her chair.

"No you didn't." Alexis agreed, easing out of her shoes to massage her toes, her toes were another story.

"I see you danced with Francis," Sonny whispered sitting beside her. "I should have warned you about his club foot."

Alexis choked. "Club foot."

Francis looked at them sharply.

"Does he really have a club foot?" Elizabeth whispered in Jason's ear.

"I don't know I've never danced with him."

"Thanks for the dance Chloe," Johnny said slipping into his seat as the lights flashed in warning. "What?" he asked when he noticed the stares.

"You have your moves down don't you Johnny?" Sonny asked, "Elizabeth, Emily, Alexis, V, Felicia, Chloe, Lois, Katherine, heck even Lucy, they all just line of for you."

Johnny didn't like the look on Sonny's face. "I guess they like me?"

"Oh I would say they like you." Sonny sipped his drink, before smiling slyly at Johnny. "I guess those ballet and ballroom dancing lessons have finally paid off."

"Elizabeth!" Johnny yelled glaring at her, when the table erupted.

Elizabeth buried her face in Jason's shoulder.

"Gee Johnny do you have a picture? I would love to see you in a tutu." Francis asked.

Johnny glared at him. "I didn't wear a tutu I had on…" He stopped and took a drink.

"What?"

"I would love to see Johnny in tights." Alexis commented dryly the same time the room went dark and the table erupted into laughter.

"Owww. You kicked me Johnny." Elizabeth cried rubbing her knee.

"Ooops. Now I have no sisters."

Jason dropped his hand under the table and massaged her knee. "Is there where it hurts?"

The pain was forgotten and she could only nod. Jason kept his hand on her knee and looked back to the stage. He knew where they were going to end up tonight, and so did she, he just had to be patient a little while longer.

****

~Intermission 3~

"Why are you crying?"

"It's just so sad Jason, that song, mixed with the pictures of people who have died this year from AIDS." She took the handkerchief he offered and couldn't help but laugh. "I never would have thought you would have a handkerchief in your pocket."

He shrugged. "It came with the tux."

"Dara should quit the D.A.'s office and sing professionally, that song was haunting, what was it called?" Alexis asked wiping a tear from her eye.

"Goodbye My Friend."

"If she left the D.A.'s office who would you sharpen your claws on?" Sonny asked.

Alexis glared at him.

Sonny saw Jax heading their way and stood up. "Shall we Ms. Davis?"

"Okay Mr. Corinthos but if you step on my feet I am billing you for the shoes."

"Excuse me a minute." Jason said getting up from the table.

Elizabeth watched him go, and smiled when she saw him approach Monica.

Emily slid into his seat. "So how is it going?"

"Good."

Emily groaned. "Details. There are enough sparks coming off the two of you to set the room on fire."

"Emily this is your brother we are talking about."

"So?"

Elizabeth laughed. "It's going very good, in fact it's going to be a long night."

"And a hard one you hope."

"Emily!" Elizabeth collapsed into laughter.

"Lurker alert," Emily hissed.

"Shit," Elizabeth grimaced. "And the night was going so good too."

"Elizabeth, Emily, you look amazing." Lucky said sitting beside Elizabeth, he was close enough to smell her perfume.

Emily's eyes bulged, and Elizabeth turned to look at him. "Lucky." She managed before turning away again. What was that boy wearing? She made the mistake of meeting Emily's eyes and almost lost it.

"That's an interesting tux." Emily said finally, gripping her chair seat to remain in control.

"Yeah it's great isn't it?" Lucky asked looking down proudly, "Can you believe that my dad was going to throw it out?"

Elizabeth bit her lip and turned to study Lurky in the powder blue suit with the purple ruffled shirt. She bent her head to hide her tears of laughter and saw the pants had a purple pinstripe on each side, were flared in bell-bottom style and he was wearing white dress shoes, white. She swallowed her laughter and choked instead.

"Are you okay?" Lucky asked moving closer to pat her on the back.

"Yes, it's just…" She sniffed and groaned. "Lucky what cologne are you wearing?"

"It's new, it's called STUD." Lucky said proudly. The package had said he would get the attention of the woman of his dreams with just a dab, he had used several dabs just to be safe and it worked Elizabeth had noticed him.

Emily turned away and grabbed at Nikolas' hand trying to stem the tears, from holding in her laughter. Nikolas had turned away as well, she could see his shoulders shaking in laughter.

"Stud?" Elizabeth managed finally. "It's certainly memorable." It smelled like burnt rubber.

"So I was wondering…"

"Elizabeth would you like to dance?"

Elizabeth shot to her feet in relief. "Thanks A.J. I would love to."

Lucky watched her walk away his face moving into a pout.

****

~Hall~

"Monica."

Monica stopped, take it easy, do not push him, she ordered herself before turning around. "Jason it's good to see you."

"Thanks." Jason shifted now what? "You look good." It has worked on Emily.

Monica beamed. "Thank you. I almost didn't recognize you when you first came in. You and Elizabeth make a beautiful couple."

Jason nodded.

"Have you two been together long?" Damn she shouldn't have asked him anything.

Questions again, always questions. "No."

"Well I always thought she was nice, I hope it works out for you two." She stopped herself from reaching for his hand.

"Thanks."

"So how are you?" Monica reached out and touched his hand, before quickly dropping it. "I mean how is the shop?"

Jason studied her, she was easy to read if you took the time. Right now she was bracing herself for him to walk away because she had touched him and asked him a question. He reached out and took her hand. "I'm fine Monica, so is the shop."

Monica looked down at their clasped hands and felt the sting of tears prick her eyes. "G-good."

****

~Dance Floor~

"So is this what inspired that little ride you took me on the other day?"

"What ride A.J.? I was just showing you what the roadster could do with a real driver at the wheel." Elizabeth tried to ease back from him but his grip was to tight. "That and the fact your hand was on my knee."

"I told you that was an accident, I was reaching for the gearshift." He had noticed her before, he had even made a few half-hearted passes in her direction. But now that he knew she was with Jason her appeal had magnified, the lure of forbidden fruit always appealed to A.J., that and the fact he always competed with Jason.

"You weren't driving."

"Still," A.J. smiled down at her and pulled her flush against him. "I am sorry if I insulted you."

"You didn't, you're entitled to your own opinion." Elizabeth jerked back freeing some space in between them. "So where is Keshia?"

"Backstage she's part of the chorus line." A.J. said leaning down to catch a whiff of her perfume.

"Excuse me."

Elizabeth almost screamed in relief. She hadn't wanted to knee A.J. in the groin in the middle of the ball, but she was coming awfully close to doing so. She immediately stopped moving to look at Jason.

"I'd like to dance with my date." Not waiting for A.J.'s nod Jason took Elizabeth's hand and pulled her into his arms.

"Sure man." A.J. said backing away.

Elizabeth sighed in relief.

Jason heard it and looked down at her. "You okay?"

"Sure." She wasn't about to start anything. "So you finally decided to dance with me. If I would have known that it only took A.J. to get you off your butt I would have looked for him a long time ago."

"I would have danced with you earlier. You were always taken."

She glared at him. "You think I would rather dance with someone else over you? I thought you knew me by now."

He tightened his hold when she went to pull away. "Also I wasn't sure I could hold you in a public place and resist you."

"Nice save." She slipped her arms around his waist and moved closer. "Resist what?"

"What you're doing now." His eyes locked on hers and he spoke softly his voice sending shivers down her spine. "Holding you this close, when all I want is to be closer still. Smelling your hair, when all I want do is see it streaming over my pillow, touching your bare skin, when all I want is to kiss it everywhere."

Elizabeth was barely moving, his voice and words were seducing her on the bright dance floor. It was as if no one else existed but the two of them.

"Right now I just don't want or need you Elizabeth, I'm craving you." He lowered his head and brushed his lips softly over hers, once, twice before lingering on them in a slow deep caress. He lifted his head and rested his forehead on hers. "So that is why we are dancing here, instead of alone in your apartment, I'm not strong enough to stop anymore."

"Maybe it's time we were alone." Elizabeth said after a minute.

****

~Table~

"They shouldn't be behaving like that on a dance floor." Lucky said frowning when he saw Jason kiss her. "It's rude."

Emily shook her head. "Lucky they are in love, kissing happens when two people are in love."

"Love?" NO, NO, NO, that wasn't right. Elizabeth loved him, he just had to prove it to her. "They're not in love."

"Sorry Lucky but they are." Nikolas explained to his little brother striving to keep his eyes on Lucky's face so he wouldn't see that tux again. "She told us so."

"No if she said that it was because she had been drinking rum. She does crazy things when she has rum." Lucky's voice was rising, "Like biting Carly, starting fights, getting arrested, getting the dragon tattoo on her…"

"On her what?" Elizabeth asked.

Lucky flinched and got to his feet to look at Jason and Elizabeth. He needed to leave there were some bad vibes going on here. "Never mind, I need to get back to my date." Lucky said, heading over to Maxie Jones.

"Did you tell him?" Elizabeth demanded from Emily.

"Tell him what?"

"About my tattoo."

"You have a tattoo?" Jason asked.

"Of course I didn't," Emily retorted. "He mentioned the dragon tattoo the other night at Luke's, I don't know how he knew."

Elizabeth was seething she knew how he knew. She was going to kill the little shit.

The lights dimmed and Jason took her hand. "You seem mad."

Elizabeth fought back the anger, she wasn't going to allow Lurky to ruin her night. She took a deep breath and leaned into him, kissing him lightly. "How much longer?"

He smirked. "Not much longer, just the keynote speaker and the chorus line."

"Then we leave."

He brought her hand up and kissed it. "Yes."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have some bad news for you. As you know Maya Angelou was to be our keynote speaker tonight but unfortunately her place couldn't leave Chicago because of the fog." Lucy began when the applause died down.

Elizabeth nuzzled Jason's ear. He turned and smiled at her in the dim light before turning back to the stage.

"However, I have good news too. I have another speaker who has spoken here so beautifully before."

Jason felt a prickle of unease.

"She has been away from Port Charles for awhile, but she has never been forgotten. She is near and dear to my heart and most of yours as well. Ladies and Gentlemen my dear, dear friend Robin Scorpio."

Robin walked out on stage, gave Lucy a hug and took the microphone. "Hello Port Charles I'm back." Her eyes found Jason, "And I'm here to stay."

Jason's hand tightened convulsively on hers for an instant…then he let it drop.


	9. Round Midnight

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 8

****

~Terrace~

"Well of all the scenarios I was imagining for Lucy to end up in her skivvies, seeing her chasing a duck through the chorus line was not one of my guesses." Elizabeth remarked moving to the edge of the terrace to lean against the stone railing.

"It was unique." Jason admitted with a slight smile.

"I know what Sonny said, but I was skeptical. I can't believe one woman could have so many accidents happen to her every year at the same event." She was babbling but she couldn't seem to help it.

"Elizabeth." He touched her arm.

She couldn't help it she flinched and pulled away. "You have got to admit some of them have to be staged, I heard some people talking about a pool." She turned away. "I wonder who won?"

"Are you okay?"

"God Jason how many times have you asked me that tonight? Do I look delicate to you?" _I know my brother and his types, that hasn't changed even with the accident. Karen, Keshia, Robin, they were all delicate. You're not delicate, you just wouldn't fit in._ A.J.'s words came back to mock her.

"No you're not delicate." _She's fragile._ Johnny's voice rang in his ears, and right now she was all nerves. "But you are babbling." He took her hand and kept it when she went to pull away.

She closed her eyes and took a breath. "Sorry, I'm better now." She shot him a fake smile, "How about you?"

He turned to look up at the sky. "I was surprised to see her here."

"You didn't know she was coming?"

"No, of course not, if I had known I never would've…" His voice trailed off.

Never would have asked me to come, she finished the comment for him in her head. "Okay." She wished she knew how to handle this. Why couldn't there be rules for this situation? She could just see the letter:

__

Dear Abby,

This is confused in Port Charles needing your help, again. What do you do when the man you have been in love with forever, FINALLY notices you and asks you out, the same night the love of his life returns?

I have a few ideas (a) scratch her eyes out and send her back to Paris in a suitcase; (b) dissolve into tears; (c) tell him to…

"Elizabeth?"

Jolted out of her letter she looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

"I asked if you were ready to leave?"

Leave, now there was another option, get away from her entirely. "Yes, that would be good. I think it was my turn to dance with Francis again anyway."

"Let's go home then." He brushed a hand over her cheek, searching her eyes. He couldn't read them at the moment and that surprised him, normally she couldn't keep what she was feeling out of her eyes.

"Jason."

He straightened and dropped his hand when he heard Robin's voice.

Strike two. Elizabeth turned to face her rival. "Hello Robin, I loved your speech."

"Thanks, Elizabeth, right?" Robin smiled at her briefly before turning to Jason. "I was hoping to speak with you before you left."

"Robin." Jason said with a nod. "What did you need?"

"Actually I need to talk to you for a minute there's something I need to tell you." She stopped and glanced at Elizabeth.

No sign needed here. "Why don't you two talk, I forgot to tell Emily something, anyway." Elizabeth offered a false smile before moving away. "I'll be right back."

"Elizabeth." Jason caught her arm before she took two steps. "You don't have to…"

"It's okay Jason I really do need to talk to Em." Her smile turned brittle so she quickly turned away leaving them on the terrace.

Jason looked after her for a moment longer before putting his hands in his pockets and focusing on Robin. "You look good, how are you?"

"I'm fine my T-cell count is nearly perfect, I'm still considered a long-term non-progressor."

"Good." Jason leaned against the railing and studied her. "I was surprised to see you."

"I didn't tell anyone I was coming, not even Uncle Mac." She moved to stand beside him and studied the night sky.

He shifted as well and couldn't help but feel comfortable with her. It wasn't their bridge but he couldn't count how many times they had stood beside each other and watched the night. He always felt to peaceful and comfortable with her. "So what did you need to tell me?"

Robin turned to face him. "I meant what I said Jason, I'm moving back home."

****

~Ballroom~

"Excuse me a minute I need to tell Stefan something." Alexis told Sonny before moving after her brother.

Sonny nodded and glanced in the direction that Jason and Elizabeth had disappeared, he hoped they were okay. He had been watching them all night, they were so cute together, whenever they were beside each other they were touching, and then Robin walked onstage. Jason had gone still and Elizabeth pulled back, so they weren't touching at all. He shook his head there was nothing he could do about it. A flicker of movement caught his eye and he headed for the alcove off the terrace.

"Elizabeth."

She jolted, keeping her back to Sonny, she had been trying to control her breathing and expression before moving back into the ballroom. "Mr. C. you startled me."

"Are you okay?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Upset Elizabeth whirled on him. "Am I wearing a sign telling people to ask me that? Don't I look fine?"

Sonny held up a hand in surrender. "Don't shoot I was just checking."

Her eyes nearly filled at the genuine concern she saw in the older man's eyes. "Sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Where's Jason?"

"On the terrace with Robin." She tried to smile but failed. "Congratulations, two of your favorite people in the world will soon be back together. You must be so happy."

"You don't know that." He stopped and softened his tone, he could see she was nearing the edge. "Why would you think I would be happy when you're not?"

"I know how much you love Robin and Jason, they are your family, it's only right for you to want them together. I didn't mean to accuse you, your not cruel, but you're probably glad to see this happen." She cut herself off because her voice was starting to carry, and she didn't want any more attention tonight.

Sonny shook his head. "I don't think that is going to happen. I already told you Jason is in love with you, not her."

"That's where you're wrong Mr. C." She smiled bitterly and cut him off when he went to speak. "I'm just trying to be realistic here. I need to prepare myself for what will happen."

"Are you so sure he would choose Robin?"

"Yes. He told me he was in love with her, that he has always been in love with her." The words were ripped out of her like bullets out of a gun. "Look Mr. C., I know you are trying to make me feel better, but there's no need. I saw his face when he saw her, it was my hand he dropped the moment he did, and just now it was me he moved away from when she walked out." She took a breath. "I'm just facing facts."

"Its sounds like you are quitting when you don't even know what is going on out there."

Laughing bitterly she moved away. "Mr. C., you can't tell me that she doesn't want him back. You heard her on that stage she's moving home, and back to him."

"So you're giving up hope?"

She snorted. "Hope? To quote the song, Hope is just a four letter word." She paused and closed her eyes. "Look I really need a minute by myself before I go back there."

Sonny nodded and withdrew from the alcove, she seemed half-alive at the moment and trying desperately to keep it all in. He knew how that felt, it never worked.

****

~Terrace~

"You are? I thought you liked Paris."

"I do, but I miss my home, my friends, my family." She took his hand. "But most of all I miss you."

Jason looked down at their clasped hands, and then slowly backed up a step. "I missed you too."

"I need to talk to you tonight. I leave for Paris in the morning, I have to finish a few tests, and I won't be back home again for a month. But I really need to talk to you before I go."

"I'm here with Elizabeth, I can't leave her." Jason said slowly dropping her hand to rub his over his neck.

Elizabeth had stepped back on the terrace in time to catch that quiet admission. Can't not won't.

"Please Jason this is too important to wait. Especially because of Elizabeth."

Jason frowned. "Why?"

"I'm back." She couldn't stand here and listen to Robin tell him she wanted him back. She knew where the conversation was going even if Jason didn't. She walked to his side, her eyes begging him to give her a sign. To take her hand, anything, just to tell her that he **wanted** her there with him. But Jason just stood there he didn't even smile at her. Strike three. "I have a headache, so Nikolas and Emily are going to give me a ride home. I just wanted to say goodnight."

Now he touched her, in surprise. "I can take you home."

"No, I'll be fine, I know you two have some catching up to do."

"Elizabeth you're my date I will take you home."

An obligation that was the last thing she wanted to be to him. "Robin could you give us a minute?"

"Sure, Jason I'll wait for you inside. It was nice seeing you again Elizabeth."

Elizabeth watched her go, God help me get through this. "Jason it's okay I know you want to talk to Robin."

"I don't want to talk to Robin, I want to talk to you." He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Talk to me." The words were a low plea.

"Jason she's here, you're going to hate yourself and me if you don't hear her out. You heard her she is leaving in the morning, tonight is the only time you will have to do this." She shrugged his hands off of her shoulders and stepped back, she couldn't lie if he was touching her and she needed to lie. "Besides I really do have a headache."

"Elizabeth."

"Please Jason you need to do this."

He could see the determined set of her shoulders, he didn't like what she was saying but he couldn't seem to find the words to convince her she was wrong. All he could see was her building a wall between them, he felt powerless to stop it, and he didn't like that feeling. "Fine I will talk to Robin and then I will come by your apartment."

No you won't, she thought while she nodded in agreement. She just had to hold on a little while longer. "Whatever, if not I'll see you when I see you."

Jason pulled her into his arms, if he was expecting a fight he didn't get one. "I will be there later." He told her before kissing her.

Elizabeth threw everything she had into the kiss, if this was going to be their last kiss she was going to make him remember it. All the pent-up fears, desire, frustration and anger poured through her and into him as her arms locked around his neck to pull him closer. 

Biting hard at his lip she demanded his submission, the kiss was savage in its intensity and its desperation, and she didn't want it to end, because when it did he would walk away. The need for air finally overtook them and they broke the kiss reluctantly. She allowed herself one last minute of being in his arms before she stepped away. "You should go."

He studied her, his hands had destroyed her hair, so it was falling over her shoulder on one side, her lips were swollen and her eyes…they were wild and yet she ordered him to leave her. "I will be back."

"Whatever." God he needed to leave before she gave into the impulse to grab him, drag him away from Robin, and make an ass out of herself by refusing to let go.

He grabbed her shoulders to give her a shake. "I will see you later."

She kept her back to him when he walked away from her. "Goodbye Jason." The words were a whisper on the wind.

****

~Ballroom~

"Sonny." Robin called hurrying through the maze of partially deserted tables to him.

Sonny turned to hug her. "Robin you look great."

"Thanks." She pulled back to study him. "So do you." And he did, his eyes weren't so sad anymore.

"So how long are you going to be here?"

"I leave in the morning, but I'll be back for good in a month."

"Good, I've missed you."

"Me too, I would like to talk to you later, it will be late, but I want to see you before Uncle Mac takes me to the airport."

"Robin my door is always open to you, you know that. Are you okay about tonight?" He wasn't just asking about Stone, but Jason and Elizabeth as well.

"Yes. It wasn't as hard to speak this year, I still miss Stone and I always will, but the pain wasn't as intense."

Sonny looked up when he saw Jason enter the ballroom alone and head for the entrance, his expression was fierce. Sonny knew something must have had happened to shake his friend.

Robin turned to find Jason waiting and gave Sonny another hug. "I'll talk to you later."

"Jason's leaving with you?" That surprised him.

"Of course." Robin squeezed his hand and nodded at the Quartermaine table before crossing to Jason and leaving the ballroom.

"That sonofabitch."

Sonny turned to look at an irate Johnny. "Johnny we don't know the details."

"No we just know he came here with Elizabeth and is leaving with Robin." Johnny snapped.

"Johnny."

"With all do respect sir. I realize that you may be happy with this turn of events, but I am worried about Elizabeth." Johnny interrupted his boss for the first time ever. "I know I'm supposed to be on until 12:00 but if Francis is willing, to stay I would like to find Elizabeth."

"Of course go ask him." Johnny started away only to stop when he heard Sonny's next words. "For the record I'm not happy about this."

****

~Terrace~

Pride it was such a fickle thing, she had been so desperate to hang onto it, and now that she had, it wasn't enough to stop the pain that was growing inside of her. She leaned against the railing and bowed her head. She wouldn't break. Not here, not with other people around. She just needed another minute and then she could go back into that room and…and…face the pitying looks? She could walk back in there and have to pretend that she didn't hear the comments? No she wasn't that strong.

"So how does it feel to be me?"

Elizabeth swallowed a groan. "What do you want Carly?"

Carly crossed to her. "Welcome to my world Eliza-bitch."

She turned to face her. "That's original."

The sarcasm stung Carly, so did the fact that she hadn't found the girl crying, in fact she couldn't even find a trace of tears in the girls eyes. "The Ro-bitch is back for less than two minutes and he is already with her."

"Get lost Carly."

"You never answered me, how does it feel to know, that when it came down to it, you were no better than me and we were both lacking when it came to the Saint of Port Charles."

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel the sting of Carly's words. "It wasn't a competition Carly."

"Right of course not," she jeered. "You look down at me, well look in the mirror honey, the only thing you did was take my place in his bed. He still pined for Robin, he still chose Robin, and the only difference between you and me is that I still have someone in my bed. While you, you pathetic loser have no one, because you built your fantasy relationship with Jason, on the hopes that the Saint would stay gone." Carly laughed in her face. "Even I knew better than that."

"Carly don't push me."

"Oh I must have hit a nerve. It sucks doesn't it to realize he will choose a woman he can't even have sex with over you." Carly leaned down and spoke the last little taunt directly in Elizabeth's face. "But you know I managed to hang onto him a lot longer than you. Looks like you failed on both counts. Maybe not, he might come sniffing around again, once the Saint freezes him out, but be prepared, anytime she calls he will leave you in a second."

"Yes I failed Carly. I failed because I am not as pathetic as you. Why doesn't that disappoint me?" The sarcasm dripped from her voice. "As for the quote "man" you have in your bed, from the rumors I've been hearing he won't be there much longer. Then what will you have, let's see." She held up her hand to check things off. "One, no lover, two, no job, three, no friends, and that equals no apartment, no life, and maybe a side-trip to Courtland Street."

Incensed Carly grabbed her arm and yanked on it. "You don't get it do you? You messed up far worse than me. No one knew about me and Jason, so Robin didn't have to do anything to me other than tell him not to sleep with me anymore. But you…" she jerked her arm. "You made the mistake of going out in public with him. Do you think she will let that slide? Don't you know right now she is telling him, that's what she does she tells him things, that he should fire you so you aren't in her way anymore? Once that happens how long do you think Sonny, Johnny, Emily or the Quartermaines will give a rats ass about you?"

"They'll care about me regardless of whether I'm with Jason or not, you see they are my friends. You don't understand that concept do you?" Elizabeth yanked her arm away. "The only friend you have doesn't even like you very much. Not that I blame him, once you get out of bed you don't have very much to offer now do you?"

"You pathetic cu…" Johnny stopped Carly's arm mid-swing.

"Leave now." He ordered her.

"There's always someone to protect your narrow ass." Carly sniped before yanking her arm loose and heading for the door. "Enjoy your empty bed."

"Bitch."

"Johnny leave her alone, she's not worth it." Elizabeth leaned on the railing. "I should, however, thank you for intervening, I spent to much money on this one time use dress to ruin it by fighting.

"Are you…"

"Christ not you too. Yes, Johnny I am fine, I am not a porcelain doll that's going to break."

Johnny clenched his fists and couldn't help picturing Jason's face when he did so. "I can't believe he left you here."

She sighed. "Don't be mad at him."

"Elizabeth don't defend the jerk."

"I told him to go."

****

~Valet~

"I don't believe he just left with Robin. How could he do that to Elizabeth?" Nikolas demanded while they waited for his Jag to be brought around.

"We don't know that was what happened."

"Emily I know you have a blind loyalty where your brother is concerned, but you saw what I did. I thought Elizabeth was your friend."

"She's my best friend." Emily snapped sliding in the car.

Nikolas put the car in gear before going on. "Then aren't you the least bit worried about her."

"Of course I am."

"Then why did you let Johnny look for her? She shouldn't be alone, she should come back to the cottage with us."

Emily sighed and put her hand on his arm. "I know you care about her too, but she won't talk tonight. She will put on this fake smile and tell me what she thinks I want to hear but she won't really talk. She needs some time alone before she will talk to me."

"Okay I guess."

"Johnny will make sure she gets home, and I will be there first thing in the morning, and then," her eyes flashed. "I will find my brother and kick his ass."

Nikolas laughed. "Now that I would love to see."

"Oh you will, who do you think is going to hold him down for me."

Nikolas frowned at her, she sounded like she meant it.

****

~Anteroom~

"Ms. Ardnowski." Sonny said with a slight smile.

"Mr. Corinthos." She replied mimicking his tone.

"I'm sorry if I upset you earlier?"

"When?"  


"During our dance," Sonny took her hand to lead her out of the way of a passing couple. He was surprised to feel that jolt of awareness again when he did so.

V flushed and pulled her arm away. "It's okay, no harm done." She attempted a smile.

Sonny grinned. "You almost sound like you enjoyed yourself."

V's smile turned genuine. "I'm still lulling you into that false sense of security."

Sonny laughed causing her to laugh too and leaned closer, "I still don't think you should warn the person."

V leaned closer. "I'll take that under advisement Mr. Corinthos."

"V there you are, we need to leave now." Jax interrupted them taking her arm.

"Ready when you are Mr. Jacks." V said pulling her arm free and giving him an icy look.

Sonny's eyes narrowed, Mr. Jacks?

Jax looked stunned too. "V…"

"Thank you for the dance and the advice Mr. Corinthos," V said before turning to head for the elevator.

"You messed up Candy boy."

Jax glared at Sonny before hurrying after V. "Why did you just call me Mr. Jacks?"

"That's proper etiquette isn't it when you go to a function with your employer?"

"I didn't ask you as your boss." He snapped, sometimes she infuriated him.

"Didn't you?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "You needed an escort, a decorative accessory on your arm at various times through the evening when you couldn't be with who you wanted to be with."

"I didn't." He stopped himself belatedly realizing that he had hurt her, and followed her onto the empty elevator.

"It was my fault not yours Mr. Jacks. I read more into the invitation than I should have. I won't bill you for the dress, if I had known it was to be business I would have chosen a cheaper one, but that was my fault." Why the hell was this elevator moving so slow?

"V I invited you because I thought you would have fun."

"As my father used to say Bull Pucky. You never thought about me at all. It's my mistake Mr. Jacks, and trust me it won't happen again." She leaned against the railing and closed her eyes, so she didn't have to look at him anymore.

She opened them with a start feeling his breath on her face when he moved in front of her to brace a hand on either side, caging her in. "What did you mean by that Venus?"

****

~Terrace~

"You what?" Johnny demanded.

"I told him to go. I had to, if he didn't he would regret it." Elizabeth explained.

"No you didn't have to."

"Johnny she was only going to be here tonight, and she needed to talk to him, I didn't want him staying with me out of obligation."

"What is with the noble routine?" Johnny snapped turning her to face him. "I know you are hurting, and I told him not to hurt you."

"Always the big brother," she touched his face lightly. "You don't know how much you mean to me. You have treated me better this past year than my real brother ever has."

"You're changing the subject." He was going to fulfill his brotherly duty and beat the hell out of Jason.

She read the violent intent in his eyes. "Don't be mad at him Johnny, he never lied to me. In fact he told me flat out that he was still in love with her." She nodded and kept her eyes on his face. "I walked into this with my eyes wide open."

She turned away then to look at the sky. "I don't know what I was hoping for." She smirked. "No that's not true, I was hoping he would grow to love me, sort of like he had no choice." Sighing she bent down to rest her arms on the railing. "I tried Johnny, I was subtle at first, I just made sure I was always there around him." Her voice turned mocking, "I guess I hoped I'd sort of creep up on him and seep into his system when he wasn't looking. That way one day he would wake up and realize that he was in love with me."

Her bitter laugh worried Johnny but he leaned beside her to listen, she needed to get it out. 

"But you see patience has never been a virtue of mine. I got tired of waiting, so one night, after a few too many at Jake's, I agreed to Emily's master plan." She shook her head and glanced at him. "You left to early, you might have been the voice of reason that night."

"I doubt that, reason and me aren't exactly old friends."

"Well we decided to submarine him. Jason wasn't going to know what him, that was our motto and thus the insanity of the past two weeks." She paused. "Only two weeks, two weeks ago tonight. I thought I would shake him up a little, to make him realize what he was missing by sitting on his ass all this time."

She smiled slightly. "But you know what I realize now Johnny? You can't force someone to love you. All the trickery or the want in the world won't make it happen, they either will or they won't." She shook her head sadly. "And Jason doesn't."

"Still." Johnny said softly.

"Tell me I'm wrong." She demanded firing up briefly and facing him. "Tell me he doesn't love her and I will believe you. I will follow him and I will fight for him." She searched his eyes for the truth and frowned when she saw it. "But you can't tell me that because we both know it isn't true." She reached up and pulled the remaining pins out of her hair so it fell over her shoulders. "If Robin is who he needs to be happy than I am okay with that."

"I don't believe you."

"It's true. When you love someone, I mean really love them, you put their happiness ahead of your own. He needs Robin to be happy, so that is what I want for him."

Johnny pulled her into a hug and she closed her eyes and let herself sink into the comforting embrace for a minute before tensing and pulling away. "I would really like to go home now. I left my purse inside, and I just can't handle the looks, not tonight. Could you get it?"

"Yeah, I'll get it and take you home."

"No you won't, you'll stay here and talk to her."

Johnny frowned in confusion. "Talk to who?"

"The woman you are in love with, if she has already left go find her. Don't waste anymore time. Whatever, you think is standing in your way doesn't mean a damn if you two love each other."

"It's not that easy Elizabeth." Johnny countered shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Bull. I would do this again, even knowing I only had two weeks with him. It was worth everything for those few days." She centered herself before going on. "But you have a chance for more. So get that stick out of your ass and talk to her or you will regret it."

"I'll get your bag." Was his way of avoiding answering her, she just didn't understand.

Elizabeth nodded, turning away again, just a few more minutes. She saw a shooting star but she had run out of wishes.

"Elizabeth." Lucky called walking up to her. "Are you okay? I saw Jason leave with Robin and I couldn't believe it. He must really be brain damaged to leave you for her. I mean you are perfect, and she is so…so…skinny. If you were with me I would spend every second showing you just how perfect you are. Come on let me take you home."

It was his touch on her arm that broke her paralysis freeing her temper. She turned her arm already drawing her arm back, the fist flying with the momentum of the turn. She heard the satisfying crunch when she connected with his nose, and she felt the cartilage and bone give under her fist.

Lucky staggered and collapsed on the ground, while the blood spurted out his broken nose. The pain was intense the tears started immediately.

"Elizabeth!"

She looked up to see Johnny staring at her, without a glance or word to Lucky she stepped over his prone legs and took her purse from Johnny. "He was peeping." Was her only explanation before she walked away.

Johnny gave Lucky an evil little grin, while he crossed to the moaning boy and yanked him to his feet. "Did you fall down and go boom Lurky?"

"Mumph."

"Let me help you up." Johnny leaned Lucky against the railing. "You're going to hate this." He shoved Lucky over the side sending him into the rosebushes on the floor below.

Johnny grinned when Lucky's howls of pain reached his ears. He brushed his hands together and moved towards the door. "One down, one to go."

****

~Bridge~

"It's still so beautiful here." Robin said crossing to the rail. "It was weird coming up here in a car instead of on your bike."

"Yeah." Jason had left his jacket, tie and vest in the car. He opened another button around the throat, he could finally breathe again.

"Do you still come here?"

"No. At first it was too painful, I knew you wouldn't be here. Then later I just didn't want to." He moved to stand beside her, peering over the side into the inky darkness below.

"It was hard for me too. I know we were never in Paris together, but I would look for you to tell you things, and you weren't there." She admitted softly.

"That was the way you wanted it."

"No I wanted you to come with me."

"You wanted me to leave my life, Sonny, my job, to go with you." Jason pinched his nose his nose in frustration. "I don't want to have this argument again."

"I don't either." Robin faced him. "Jason I have spent this whole year away from you, but I thought of nothing else but you. I realized that I don't want to be with out you anymore. I want us back."

"Robin…"

"Let me finish. I'm not going to try to change you. I won't try to make you quit your job, or leave Sonny. I just want you back, I want us together in every way this time Jason. **Every** way." She held out her hand. "Tell me it's not to late for us."

Jason looked down at her hand for a long time then looked into the face he had loved forever. "Robin…"

****

~Apartment~

"Keep or trash?" Elizabeth asked nobody, and when she got no reply, she finally dropped it into the trash and headed into her studio.

She paused at the door and realized she really had let it get out of control in here. She glanced at the clock 12:00, midnight, the perfect time to clean up her studio. After all her life had only exploded 2 hours ago, and it was too soon to deal with that, so by all means let's clean.

"Stop it." She wasn't going to think about it anymore. She needed noise. She turned on the radio and sat on the floor to sort through her materials.

~It begins to tell~

~'Round Midnight, 'Round Midnight~

~I do pretty well, till after sundown~

~Suppertime I'm feelin' sad~

~But it really gets bad 'round midnight.~

She shouldn't be listening to this. Get up and turn it off, it won't help. But she couldn't seem to bring herself to move off the floor. The night had finally caught up to her, and she couldn't seem to stave off the pain anymore. 

__

Are you still in love with Robin? Yes

God why hadn't she backed off then?

~Memories always start~

~'Round Midnight, 'Round Midnight~

~Haven't got the heart to stand those memories~

~When my heart is still with you~

~And old midnight knows it too.~

__

Lying on the floor, she was to numb to cry, but to tired to fight the memories, and could only flinch when they came.

__

Jason lowered his head pausing slightly when he saw her brace, before continuing the motion and lightly pressing his lips on hers in a soft caress. She felt the persuasive softness of his lips as they firmly, but softly caressed her mouth, his tongue tracing her bottom lip asking for admittance. With a sigh she opened for him, his tongue slipped inside her mouth bringing with it the taste of him that was all male, and for this amazing second all hers.

And he was all hers for an amazing second but it was over now, reality was back and her name was Robin Scorpio.

__

~When some quarrel we have needs mending~

~Does it mean that our love is ending?~

~Darling I need you~

~Lately I find~

~You're out of my arms~

~And I'm out of my mind.~

__

I know I should stay away from you…but I want you and at the same time I don't want to want you.

__

I left town to get away from you but every time I closed my eyes there you were…I don't like that.

Right now I don't want or need you Elizabeth I'm craving you.

~Let our love take wing~

~Some midnight, 'round midnight~

~Let the angel's sing~

She heard the knock on her door and gratefully found the strength to move off the floor. "That was quick Gary." She yelled picking up her wallet on the way to the door. She opened the door without looking up, digging in her wallet for cash. "You must have broken all the speed limits." Looking up then the smile slid from her face.

__

~For your returning~

~Let our love be safe and sound~

~When old midnight comes around.~

"Jason," his name was a whisper. "I thought you were Gary."

"Can I come in?" He could see the shock on her face and was puzzled.

"I guess." She stepped back, being careful not to touch him as he passed, and noted he was still in his tux shirt and pants.

"Whose Gary?"

"Pizza guy. I was hungry." She set the wallet on the table and kept her eyes at chest level. "So what brings you by?"

"I told you I was coming." He saw her start and realized she hadn't believed him. "Elizabeth." He took a step towards her and she moved keeping the table between them.

"That's right I forgot." She had hoped she would have more time before she had to face him.

"We need to talk about tonight."

"Okay." She moved by him carefully and went to the window. Everyone had told her she was strong, tonight she was going to see how strong she was.

"I'm glad you made me go with Robin. She helped me realize something about you and me that would have taken me awhile to realize on my own."

Keeping her back to him Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her waist and listened, she was too tired to even get mad.

"She told me she was moving back to Port Charles and she wanted us to get back together." He hated talking to her back.

Broken hearts weren't supposed to hurt, so where was the pain coming from? She didn't want to feel she wanted to be numb.

"That's good. I know how much you missed her." She turned to face him, cutting off the words she didn't want to hear. "I know how much you love her, so I'm glad you found your way to each other again."

"Elizabeth wait…"

"Don't worry about me. See this is why we made those rules, you know the rules, no promises, one date or twenty, that way no one gets hurt. See I really make good rules, we had our one date, and no one's hurt. Thanks for telling me in person though, I really appreciate it." God she couldn't stop babbling.

"Wait."

"No Jason. I'm fine. I'm a big girl. I walked into this, whatever it was, with my eyes wide open no harm no foul." He needed to stop looking at her like that, she didn't want, or need his pity.

Someone knocked on the door and she practically ran for it, Jason caught her arm when she tried to go around him. She hissed and jumped away backing into the table when she did so. She covered her mouth with her hand and stood there frozen.

The knock sounded again, Jason went to the door, paid for the pizza and set it on the table. His eye landed on something in the trash…his dragon.

"You're throwing it away?"

Elizabeth had retreated into the room again. "I decided it wasn't worth the effort." Jason flinched. "Sometimes you just have to give up."

He hoped she didn't mean that.

"Jason I don't mean to be rude but I would like you to go now I'm tired, and would like to get some sleep."

"There are some things you need to know."

"No there aren't." She yelled.

"Damn'it will you listen to me." Jason crossed to her and took her arms.

"Let me go."

"Not until we finish this." He told her pulling her closer until she was leaning against his chest.

"Is that what you want? Carly told me that I had been earmarked as her replacement in bed. You still want me is that it? Well we both know it wouldn't take very much to get me in that bed with you. I'd hate myself immediately, but I wouldn't be able to stop. Eventually I might even be able to hate you too, is that what you want?" She felt the prick of tears behind her eyes. He wasn't going to see her cry. She jerked away, ran into the studio, slammed and locked the door behind her.

"Elizabeth open the damn door."

"No. Go away Jason." She yelled crossing to the window.

__

"Here's a song for all you lovers out there. 'I'm a Fool to Want You' by Old Blue Eyes himself."

Infuriated Elizabeth slapped at the radio to shut it off and sent it crashing to the floor.

"Are you…"

"Don't finish that sentence." She screamed throwing the radio at the door.

Jason heard the thud on the door and groaned, it was going to be a long night. "I'm not going anywhere until we talk."

She looked out the window and considered her options.

"Don't bother to try the window, I noticed the other day that the fire escape under that window has broken off."

"Damn." She muttered and leaned on her table. "Why don't you just leave?"

Jason turned and sat on the floor, leaning against the door. "I can't not until we finish this."

She groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"As I was saying Robin said she wanted to get back together with me, in every way." He spoke loudly so she would hear him through the door. "I heard those words I had been waiting to hear for so long and I looked down on her hand and it was wrong."

Elizabeth looked up at the door.

He paused he was still a little stunned himself. "Her hand was wrong. It was small and I knew if I took it, it would be smooth and soft. But I was used to callus's. Her nails were neat and polished, I wanted to see ragged ones with grease under them. I heard her voice, but all I could think was this wasn't the hand that I wanted to reach out to me.

She edged closer to the door, she didn't want to believe him, but she couldn't stop the tiny flicker of hope that took flight in her heart.

"So I looked back to her face then. The first face I ever saw, and the only one I had ever loved, and I told her no."

****

~Penthouse~

"Ms. Scorpio."

"Thanks Cal." Sonny said walking over to Robin, he took one look at her face and knew. "He said no didn't he?"

"Yes." Robin said dissolving into tears.

Sonny pulled her in his arms to let her cry it out. Later he handed her a glass of water and sat next to her on the couch. "Are you okay now?"

"I guess." Robin twisted the Kleenex in her hand. "I thought he still loved me."

"He does love you and he always will. He's just moved on."

"How? He said he would always be in love with me."

"It wasn't easy, he fought it the whole time, but he finally realized that he had to let you go." His heart broke for her, she would always hold a special place in his heart.

"Because of Elizabeth?" She asked. "I talked to Lois earlier this week, she said he wasn't seeing anyone."

"Yes Elizabeth is a factor. He fought his feelings for her for months, but they kept growing until he couldn't anymore, until he realized how much he loved her."

Robin flinched and stood. "He loves her?"

"Yes." Sonny moved after her. "He believed you when you said you weren't coming back to him. He finally let himself let go of the hope and move on." He put a hand on her shoulder, "You need to do the same."

"That's just it Sonny, I don't think I can let go of him."

****

~Apartment~

"You said no?" Elizabeth couldn't have heard him right.

"Yes I turned her down. I have to say it surprised me as much as it did her."

"Why you told me you loved her."

"I do." Jason sighed and stretched his legs out on the floor. "Something Sonny tried to tell me finally clicked, when she held out her hand. I love Robin and I always will, but I'm not in love with her anymore."

"You're not." She had made her way to the door, her hand was on the knob.

"No I realized that I'm in love with you."

She leaned against the wall when she heard the words she thought she never would hear. "Can you repeat that?"

Jason smirked. "I said I'm in love with you. I didn't realize it, I knew you had been driving me crazy, getting under my skin, especially these past two weeks, but I didn't realize it was more than that until tonight."

Two weeks, she moaned and slid down the door, only since the brilliant plan had started. "You're not in love with me Jason."

"What?"

"I said you don't love me, it was all a set-up." Elizabeth yelled in disgust.

****

~Johnny's Apartment~

"You're awfully quiet."

"Sorry I just can't help thinking about Elizabeth." Johnny said brushing a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"It was a hard night for her. How was she the last time you saw her?"

Johnny smiled, "Numb and angry. She decked Lucky, ordered me to find you and get the stick out of my ass."

"She gives good advice."

"We're not going to argue again are we?" He asked sitting up in bed. "We have been over this, you know the reasons we can't take this public, you agreed…"

"No I didn't agree, you decided and I went along with it." Slipping from the bed, she began searching for her clothes.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving I can't do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" He felt the alarm skitter through his nerves while she finished getting dressed. Nervous he got up and pulled on his boxers.

"I mean your friend Elizabeth is heartbroken at the moment but at least she knew what she wanted and went for it."

"So?"

"So what do we do? We say we love each other, yet we sneak around and hide. Elizabeth is a hell of a lot braver than we are, I respect her a lot more than myself at the moment."

"Wait." Johnny followed her down the hall.

She stopped with her hand on the door. "Decide what you want Johnny. I love you but I am not doing this anymore."

Johnny moved to stop her but she was gone. "Damn'it," he yelled and punched the door.

****

~Apartment~

"What was a set-up?"

"Everything. You don't really love me, it was all part of the plan to make you crazy. God why did I ever listen to Emily?"

"Emily?" Jason groaned, closed his eyes and banged his head against the door. "What are you talking about?"

"You. We set you up so you would notice me. I got tired of waiting around, so I decided to force your hand. The date with Danny, the dress, the comments, everything was to get you off your ass so you would see what you were missing." Elizabeth was relieved he couldn't see her face at the moment.

"It was?" He couldn't help but feel flattered. "Wait so that comment about not seeing me as a man?"

"Was a lie."

"And that day in the garage?"

"Let's just say there is a part of the Sound of Music I will never watch the same way again," she muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Never mind. So do you see now? You don't love me I was doing everything to drive you crazy and it worked," wrapping her arms around her knees she buried her face in her knees. "You don't love me."

He brought his knees up and rested his hands on them. "I hear what you're saying but you're wrong."

"No I'm not Jesus Jason I have a friggin sketchbook devoted to sketches of you, that's just wrong." She argued.

"Is that what's in the trash with the dragon?" He asked glancing over at the pile of stuff by the trashcan.

"Yes and this time I'm not digging it out either."

"You threw it away before?" He asked puzzled.

"Yes the day you kissed Carly."

Jason sighed. "I remember the day you walked into my shop. Did you know that? I was working under an old Ford or something and you spoke up."

__

"Excuse me I'm looking for Jason Morgan?"

"You found him," he answered not looking up his focus was on the bolt. "Damn." He muttered when he caught his knuckle.

"I'm here about the job."

He turned to look at her then. She was small but bigger than Robin, with long curly brown hair, she had on black pants and a purple shirt. "I need a mechanic not a receptionist." He told her picking up the part to put it on.

"I can see that, and it's a good thing for you I am a mechanic." Her voice was low and amused.

"Why?" Goddamn part wouldn't work.

"Because as a mechanic I can tell the difference between a front caliper and a rear caliper and you obviously can't."

Jason glanced at the caliper in his hand and then at her. "What?"

She shook her head and stepped under the car, and took the part from him. "See this notch here? It's inverted this is a rear caliper, it won't work on the front wheels." She handed the part back to him and pulled the rag out of his back pocket to wipe off her hands.

He glared at her to smother the frustration at being caught unprepared.

She moved out from under the car. "Maybe I should give you a trial period. If this is the way you fix cars you won't be open long."

Jason fought back a smile and glowered at her, but she seemed unfazed by the look. "I normally do the bike work."

"Good plan. So Morgan what's the deal?"

He studied her for a long minute, sizing her up. "We'll try it out, you take the cars and I'll take the bikes, and we'll see how it works."

"That all depends on how much you pay."

Jason couldn't stop the smile then. "What's your name?"

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth Webber."

"You caught me off guard even then. I was still with Robin, so I didn't think about it until recently but I definitely noticed you."

"You just weren't used to women knowing more about cars than you."

He went on like she hadn't spoken. "Then there was that night at Jake's, you already know what I thought of you on that night."

"Let's not go there."

"But things really started to click inside me, that time in the gym when you claim you broke my finger."

"I did break your finger." Elizabeth grumbled. "Men."

__

"Go on give me your best shot." Johnny said pointing to his chin.

"Don't tempt me." Elizabeth told him circling the ring, faking with her left and springing into a roundhouse kick.

He blocked it easily. "You're still telegraphing."

Elizabeth collapsed on the mat, only to sit up when laughter reached her ears. "What's so funny Jason?"

Jason climbed into the ring. "You. What are you trying to do?"

"We were sparring." She retorted getting to her feet to pull off the protective gear on her head.

"If you say so. It looked more like you were doing, what do you call it? Ballet moves." Jason teased.

Johnny groaned, and buried his head in his towel, Jason was in for it.

"Ballet? Morgan you really are an idiot."

"What you didn't land anything, except on your butt."

Her eyes narrowed in anger. "You want to try me?"

Jason snorted. "You wouldn't be able to touch me."

"Uh Jason you might want to rethink that," Johnny piped up.

"Shut up Johnny, put on some protective gear Jason."

"I won't need it." Jason turned and set down his water, so he missed the fury on her face when she glared at him.

They circled the ring, Jason saw her feint right and blocked it easily enough, and his smile was short-lived when her fist connected with his unprotected ribs on the left. He gasped and dropped her hand, and she immediately did a leg sweep sending him to the mat.

"Two points Webber."

Jason glared at Johnny and got to his feet. He focused on her again a split second to late, she faked a groin shot and when he went to protect she caught him across the jaw.

"Point Webber."

He rubbed his jaw and moved again. He saw her eyes flash in intent and moved his hand at the last second to try to stop her fist. He was too late, and his finger was caught between her fist and his ribs. Jason heard the snap of the bone and so did Elizabeth.

"Jason are you okay?" She tugged at her gloves to get them off so she could look at his hand.

"I'm fine." He snapped pulling away from her. He couldn't believe she had broken his finger.

"You were trying not to gloat and at the same time you were worried about me. God I wanted to kiss you that day."

"You hid it pretty well, you pouted for days."

"I didn't pout." Jason snapped.

"Excuse me, you sulked." She grinned at the memory.

"Looking back now I realize that I was in love with you when I went to Mexico."

Elizabeth was stunned. "Jason that was three months ago."

"I told you I just realized it." He snapped.

__

"Jason thank god."

"Emily what's wrong?" He could hear the desperation even over the phone.

"We need your help we're in trouble."

"What happened are you okay? Is Elizabeth?"

"We're fine, well Elizabeth is unconscious but that's to be expected I guess."

"Where are you?"

"El Gatto, Mexico in jail. Can you come?"

"The line went dead, all I knew was you were in jail and unconscious."

Elizabeth laughed. "That was more than I knew."

He brought his hand up and smacked the door between them. " I started calling in every favor I could to get there, I finally do and what is the first thing I see?" He shook his head. "You beating the pants off the guards in strip poker. I wanted to kill you."

"Yeah, you dragging us out of the jail and cursing us the whole way to the airport was a big clue."

"But then I saw your face when you saw that street vendor with the jade dragons. You just lit up and it felt like someone had punched me in the gut," his voice got quieter. "You realized the price and your face fell, but you never said a word. You went from glowing to sad in a minute and you never said a word."

"I didn't know you bought it until I found it in my bag when I got home," her voice was equally soft.

"I had to, you wanted it. I would have given you anything to make you look like that again." He rubbed his hand over his eyes, he was tired of this. "What I am trying to say in my own inept way is that I have been falling in love with you since I met you. I could only admit that to myself when Robin offered me everything I thought I wanted and I realized I wanted you."

Jason fell back to the floor with a thud when she yanked the door open. Elizabeth stood over him, a tear sliding down her face. "You love me?"

"Yes," he muttered rubbing at the back of his head.

"God." She moved around him. "You love me, I didn't think I would ever hear that from you."

Jason waited until she was in range, grabbed her ankle and jerked hard catching her off balance and sending her to the floor. He caught her before she could crash on top of him, and rolled over pining her with his weight. "Yes I love you, I have been trying to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen to me."

Her breath caught as she looked into his eyes. "I love you too." His eyes darkened as relief moved over his features.

"So I haven't blown it?" He asked with a grin while he settled his weight on his arms, and hovered over her.

"That depends." She answered her hands tracing a path along his ribs.

He frowned. "On what?"

"On whether you're going to kiss me or talk me to death."

__

Song Credit 'Round Midnight' Lyrics by Cole Porter.


	10. Take me to the river

****

Warning and explanation: This chapter has been edited to meet the new guidelines concerning sexual content on this site. I think I still made it interesting but took out the questionable portion. If anyone is interested in reading the chapter as it was originally written send me an e-mail. **Stephanie22304@yahoo.com** and I'll send it out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Chapter 9

****

~Apartment~

Jason's smile was slow and lethal, by the time it worked its way across his face awareness had entered her every pore. He shifted insinuating a leg in between hers. "When I kiss you Elizabeth I won't stop kissing you."

Her hands clenched at his hips she smiled up at him in anticipation. "Who says I'd let you stop?"

He lowered his head but instead of kissing her lips, he pressed a kiss on her chin, before leaving a trail of kisses down the column of her neck. Her breath was lost with his first caress, she tilted her head to give him better access as his mouth devastated her system, while working its way to her ear.

Nipping at her earlobe he caught it between his teeth causing her to moan, her hands left his hips seeking his skin. She needed to feel him, she needed the contact of his skin on hers. "Kiss me." The demand went unheeded. His lips continued their leisurely assault on her skin.

She pulled his shirt free of his pants her hand moving up to tease his nipple into hardness. "Kiss me."

He shifted so his mouth was over hers, she could see the wicked glint in his eye, then he bent down and outlined her mouth with his tongue. Need slammed into her, and she thought she would go mad from the want, before he finally covered her mouth with his. His hand slipped under her head lifting it slightly to add to the kiss, his weight pressed into her body while the passion seeped into them both.

His tongue entered the cavern of her mouth to explore the heat found there, their tongues met, danced and mated. Half blind with desire she gripped the edge of his shirt and ripped it open sending buttons flying everywhere in her haste to get near him.

He pulled back slightly in surprise. "I'll buy you another one." She told him raising her head to find his mouth again, freeing his shirt while they kissed. His skin was already heated but her touch made it burn.

His hand was under her shirt, his fingers tracing the edge of her breast, at the touch her body shivered in reaction. "Turnabout." He whispered before gripping the shirt at the neck and tearing it off her.

Her gasp turned into a moan of delight when his mouth locked on her breast. She arched her back, her hands delved in his hair, pressing his mouth closer still. He shifted his attention to her other breast and pressed his thigh more intimately against her, her hips responded automatically, thrusting down in response to feeling the hardness press against her. With a desperate moan she took his face in her hands and dragged his mouth back up to hers.

Without breaking contact with her mouth he sat up, her arms fastened around his neck to keep her pressed against his naked chest. The tattered remnants of her shirt fell forgotten to the floor when he stood. She locked her legs around his waist, his hands cupped her behind in support and to torment, kneading them while moving to the bed.

He set her down on the bed and backed off to pull off his pants, she got to her knees in front of him pressing her mouth to his chest. Her tongue flicked over his nipple then her teeth nipped at it causing him to groan. He pulled away from her touch, the need for her was too much for him to hold on if she kept touching him. "Where?"

"Top drawer." She pointed to the dresser at the foot of the bed. 

He moved, opened the drawer and found two unopened boxes of condoms. "Should I be flattered or scared?" He asked picking up one of the boxes.

"You're going to be dead if you don't get over here." Elizabeth ordered shrugging out of her shorts.

Jason grinned and crossed to her, she took a condom from his hand, letting the rest spill to the floor. "I'm going to give you the ride of your life," she promised and took his mouth with hers.

~*~*~*~

"Don't fall asleep on me."

Jason grinned and rolled then so she sprawled on top of him, her head on his shoulder, and her hand on his heart. "Better?"

"Mm-hmm. You know Jason." Elizabeth said sweetly her hand idly tracing a path over his stomach, sending sensations through him again. "When you finally do move, you do it very well, in fact, you can work up a girl's appetite." In response to her words her stomach growled.

He laughed. "Hungry?"

Embarrassed but determined she went on. "Well you see I went to this place that tried to serve me rubber chicken, then when I come home there is this loud guy who refused to leave so I couldn't eat." She raised her head to look at him. "So yeah I'm hungry."

"Pizza's on the table." He could feel her glare on him even with his eyes closed. "You want me to get it?"

"Well you do have to take care of something anyway." Her stomach growled again. "Move it Morgan."

"You know." He moved quick reversing their positions on the bed. "I don't need a bossy girlfriend."

Her eyes glowed at the word girlfriend. "How do you feel about the cold?"

"Cold?" He asked in confusion.

"Yeah Jason it can get awfully cold in here." She told him glaring at him meaningfully.

He smiled, and kissed her proving her threat an empty one, then got up from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom for a minute.

Elizabeth sat up, moved to the end of the bed and pulled a T-shirt out of the dresser and put it on.

"You realize I'm just going to take that off again," Jason told her when he entered the room again.

"Don't forget the soda in the fridge."

"It's almost 2:00 a.m. and you're going to drink Mountain Dew?"

Her eyes lingered on his naked backside when he got the drinks. God but he had the best ass she had ever seen. "Energy, I'm not through with you yet."

He walked back to the bed with the pizza and drinks. "So again I ask why did you get dressed?"

She took the pizza from him digging for a slice. "Because I'm hungry."

"So."

"Excuse me for not being able to eat naked." She didn't hate her body but seeing her naked flesh while feeding her face was enough to give her a complex. Seeing his naked flesh on the other hand.

"Okay." Jason pulled the sheet up over his waist, leaned against the wall and took a slice of pizza.

She reached past him to get the drink, his eyes darkened and he caught her hand. "What happened?"

"What?" She swallowed a bite looking at her right hand, "Oh, I guess I closed my fist too tight."

He studied her bruised knuckles before letting her hand go. "Who or what did you hit?"

"Lurky."

"Who?"

She laughed, "Oh that's right you're probably the only one that doesn't call him that. I mean Lucky."

"Why did you hit Lucky?" He frowned.

She took a drink and grabbed another slice of pizza before answering. "Because he was peeping. Man nothing beats lukewarm pizza at 2:00 a.m."

"What do you mean peeping?" Jason set his drink on the headboard and waited.

"Well Lurky, he's well," she laughed. "Well I guess you would call him my stalker. Now do you see why I didn't tell you? He is so pathetic he couldn't even do that right." She laughed again failing to notice his stillness.

Lucky was stalking her he didn't like that.

"See at the most he's a major annoyance, calling me, following me, asking me out, showing up here at all time of the night. He's annoying but ignorable." She debated on another slice.

"Then why did you hit him?" His voice was sharp.

Why not, she'd work off the calories. "Why?" She asked seeing his nod she went on. "Because tonight I got proof he was spying on me while I showered."

"He did what." His voice was low and cold.

She was so busy enjoying the pizza she missed the iced anger in his tone. "I thought he was before but I had no proof. All of a sudden there was a peep hole in your bathroom but for all I knew you did it." She paused and grinned at him. "Not that you did it to peep, you could have just gotten angry and shoved a pencil or something. Those walls aren't exactly solid. Anyway I didn't know for sure, and once I found it I moved some stuff in front of the hole. Tonight when I found out he knew about my tattoo I knew he did it."

"He spied on you while you showered at my apartment?"

"Yes the little pervert. I was so mad and on edge with everything else that had happened tonight that I lost it and just unloaded on him, I think I broke his nose." She looked at him, belatedly realizing who she was telling so cavalierly. She studied the angry mask on his face, the clenched fists, oh boy.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She felt the sting of that icy question and set the pizza box on the floor. "Because I can handle Lurky, and I didn't have any proof."

He watched and waited, she could see the cold fury in his eyes.

"You and he go way back, so when he started bothering me I didn't want to put you in the middle. Later on he was easy to ignore, or Johnny ran interference." Groaning she closed her eyes, she shouldn't have said that.

"Johnny knew? You told Johnny and not me? This is going on in my shop, in my room, and with my employees and you tell Johnny instead of me." The fury behind those words lashed at her causing her to move around on the bed.

"I didn't tell Johnny he caught Lurky…" She took another drink and looked away.

"He caught Lucky doing what?" He took the drink from her hand and set it on the floor.

She edged further away from him but he followed, catching her hips and sliding her to the bed and moving on top of her. "You know you're not supposed to lie down for 20 minutes after eating."

"What did he catch Lucky doing?"

His eyes bored into hers, making it impossible for her to avoid his question. "Apparently Lucky got a hold of some of my clothes, how I don't know but he did, and…"

"And?"

"Let's just say it involved my underwear and solo pleasuring." She admitted finally.

"And you thought he was harmless? What the hell were you thinking?" He yelled down at her.

"I was thinking that the boy was twisted and I never wanted to shake his hand." Jason snorted causing her temper to spike. "But it was my problem. **MY**. So I wasn't going to go running to you to fix it." She yelled back shoving at his chest. "Get the hell off of me."

"No."

"Don't make me hurt you Morgan." She poked his ribs trying to get him to move. He moved then, and lowered his body so he was flush on top of hers, his weight pinning hers to the bed.

"You should have told me Elizabeth." He told her the temper gone from his voice.

"I'm used to handling things on my own." She admitted, getting lost in his eyes again as her own temper abated. "It really was no big deal."

"Yes it is at least to me." He was going to pay a visit to Lucky.

Changing the subject might be called for. "So now that you have been fed, do you have the stamina to try again, or do you need more practice?"

"Practice," he ran a finger down her cheek. "Are you complaining?"

"Well," she nipped at his finger when it brushed her bottom lip. "There is always room for improvement."

"Improvement? You didn't have any complaints a few minutes ago when you screamed my name."

"I never did that, I don't scream."

His eyes changed in recognition of the dare. She saw it and drew in her bottom lip to worry it, in anticipation, this could be fun. 

"Really we'll see about that." He lowered his head to kiss her, he sucked that maddening bottom lip of hers into the heat and moistness of his mouth. He nibbled and sucked at it until her breathing became fast and erratic.

"I'm going to make you scream." He whispered, his tongue sliding over her skin to blaze a moist trail along her neck towards the sensuous spot behind her ear. His hand stroked her thigh while his mouth found the pulse of her neck and closed on it to suck.

Sensations swamped her, she wanted to give back, but her muscles were lax under the feelings he was arousing inside of her. She was floating in feelings, his mouth roved its way down her body. His mouth cruised over her breast and lightly traced the nipple before hovering there to tease. He heard her intake of breath and felt the power, it was almost as erotic as the taste of her skin. He wanted to take her, as if she had never been touched before, slowly, thoroughly, and endlessly.

"I love your tattoo." His tongue traced the dragon on her hip before moving down lower. He was going to make her scream. 

****

~Garage~

Johnny pulled into the graveled parking lot in front of the shop looking for the car Jason had driven the night before, it wasn't there but his bike was. He better be inside, he thought with a glare heading for the open bay door. "Hey Stan." He called to the older man who was bent over a Cadillac.

"Hi."

"Is Jason here?"

"Haven't seen him or heard him today. I think I'm the only one here so far. Elizabeth should be here soon."

Johnny's eyes narrowed at her name. "I'll wait for him upstairs." He knocked at the door before opening it to the empty room. Jason's bed was made he hadn't been home yet.

"That sonofabitch." Johnny pulled the only chair in the room in position to face the door and settled in to wait.

****

~Apartment~

Elizabeth woke up alone. For a minute she thought it had all been a dream, and then she moved, muscles that hadn't been used for a while reminded her of their presence. It hadn't been a dream after all.

She opened her eyes to look for him, he was at her table, wearing the tuxedo pants and was gluing her dragon back together. If she hadn't already been in love with him she would have fallen then and there. His face was a study in concentration, his large hands worked on putting the delicate jade back in position. While she watched he dropped a piece to the table, his low curse reached her ears when he picked it up to try again.

She felt the sting of tears and closed her eyes. Christ she was getting sentimental over a man and a dragon. No more pizza at 2:00 a.m. She sat up and pulled on the shirt that was on the floor. "Morning."

Jason looked up and grinned lazily at her. "Did you say something? I've lost some of my hearing someone kept screaming last night."

"Bite me." She told him padding into the bathroom.

When she came out he had moved from the table, he was now at the window flipping through her sketchbook. He looked up when she entered the room. "Good morning."

She went over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissed his shoulder blade. "What do you see?"

Nothing, lines, lights, darks, shapes, he didn't want to tell her that, but that was what he saw. "It smells like BBQ sauce."

"I told you I threw it away." She took the book from him, moving back to the bed to sit. "It could have been worse. If it had been Monday it would have smelled like fish, everyone seems to get Japanese take-out on Mondays."

"So what is in here?" He pointed to the book sitting beside her.

"I told you just some drawings of you." She kept her eyes glued to the book.

"Of me?" He flipped to a page and pointed. "What's here?"

"Jason." She looked at him and sighed, he just tapped the book. "Remember that day you helped me wash the cars?"

"I remember you started a water fight with the hose." He studied her. "I still haven't gotten you back for that have I?"

"Anyway." She went on in a rush, pointing to the picture. "Here is the Dusenberg, you're here, rubbing on it with a shammy, you're shirtless and you're smiling. It's the smile that you use just before you do something nasty."

He could see it then, when she pointed and explained, he could see the smile she was talking about. "What do you mean nasty?"

"The smile you get when you're up to something. Kind of like now." She closed the book and set it on the floor. She couldn't believe she had told him about the book.

He saw the red in her face and let it go for now. "What about that?" He asked pointing to a painting leaning against the trashcan.

"That was just a painting I did for you." Her voice was low, barely audible, she shrugged. "It's no big deal."

Yes it was. "Why didn't you give it to me?" He asked crossing to the painting to bring it back so she could explain it to him.

"It wasn't very good."

"Elizabeth."

"Well you wouldn't have been able to see it, and I didn't know what you would think if I suddenly gave you a painting." She shifted on the bed. "Can we change the subject?"

"No." He put a finger under her chin lifting her head to kiss her, before turning back to the painting. "Make me see it."

She moved it so it was on both of their laps. "It's called The Wind."

"You name paintings?"

"Forget it." She started to get up.

"No. Tell me." He took her hand. "Please."

Again with the please. She gestured to the painting. "I painted it one night after a ride on your motorcycle. You had only taken me riding twice but the way it made me feel stuck with me."

"Three times." He corrected.

"What? When was the third?"

"That night I found you in the park."

"Oh." She laughed, "That doesn't count I don't remember that."

Well he would never forget it.

__

He was going to drive off the road if she didn't keep her hands still. "Elizabeth." He snapped again in warning, when her hands moved over his chest. She was supposed to be holding onto him not driving him crazy by teasing him.

He stopped at a red light, and put his hands over her stilling them mid caress. "Don't do that."

"Okay Jason." Came her agreeable reply, she let her hands fall to rest on his thighs.

This was worse, her hands lightly traced the inside of his thigh, causing his body to react to her touch. "Eliza…"

"Oh boy a parade."

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"I hear the band, where's the parade?" She looked around her head tilting because of the helmet. "This is heavy." 

"It's not a parade." Jason told her.

"But I hear it, where are the clowns?"

"Its car horns, some idiot it sitting at a green light." Talking to a woman who is making him insane. He put her hands on his waist, turning partially to look at her. "Do not move them."

She grinned. "Yes sir, I'd salute but I can't move."

He glared at her before turning and taking off through the yellow light. He muttered a curse, she kept her word, but somehow it was worse. She used her hands to pull herself closer to him, so her mouth could run along his throat.

"Jason?"

"What?" He blinked and focused on her again.

"You zoned out on me for a minute." She touched his arm in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, you were explaining the painting."

"Alright this is the world that flashes by me when were flying on your bike. You see this big red blur?" She asked pointing to the right of the painting.

"Yes."

"Well you know the neon sign in front of Apple Jacks?"

"Yes."

"Well I painted it as a big streak, because I don't know about you, but I don't take in the words as were zooming by."

"Right." Jason nodded, "Just the color."

"Yes, just the red." She pointed again. "You see this big yellow thing?"

"Mm-hmm."

"That's Angelina's House of Beauty."

He grinned in recognition. "It's the door."

"Right." She nodded and leaned against his shoulder. "You see these black loops in the distance? That's the top of the Ferris wheel."

"The one at the corner of Van Ness and Jefferson."

"Exactly. You got it, that's my painting, and yours if you want it."

Of course he wanted it, now that he knew what was there he could see it and it was amazing. "This is really good. Why were you going to throw it out?"

She moved away, bringing her foot up on the bed to rest her head on her knee. "I thought it was over between us." 

He took her hand. "So."

"So I couldn't imagine giving this to anyone else, and I would never give it to you." Her eyes were sad, there were parts of last night she never wanted to think about again. "It would have been too hard for me to keep so I was going to get rid of it." She shrugged. "Actually I was going to get rid of all the things that reminded me of you."

"I'm sorry I hurt you." He set the painting on the floor, pulling her so her back rested against his chest, his arms locked around her. "I didn't know you would give up on us right away."

"I didn't know if there was an us." She shifted to look at him. "Jason I was going by what I knew. You told me you were in love with Robin. I knew she wanted you back. I had to prepare myself to lose you."

"Well you're not going to lose me. I love you." His arms tightened on her. He was going to find a way to make it up to her. He had hurt her so much, he didn't ever want to do it again.

"I love you too." She kissed him lightly. "Don't frown so. It worked out in the end." She drew his face to hers to kiss away the frown.

He deepened the kiss pressing her back to the bed. Need for her once again clawing at him, while his hand roved from her ankle, to the sensitive skin behind her knee before moving up her thigh.

"Jason," unwillingly she broke the kiss. "Don't start something you can't finish."

"Who says I'm not going to finish?" His mouth dropped to her throat.

"I…" Damn but he was good. "I do, I have to go to work."

"You have the day off." He ordered before raising his mouth to find hers again.

She pushed on his chest. "No I don't."

Jason groaned he knew that look, she was primed to fight. "What did I do?"

She caught the resignation in his voice and smiled. "Nothing. It's what you're not going to do."

"What?"

"You're not going to give me any kind of special treatment at work just because we are dating. I pull my own weight or I'm gone."

"You'd quit?"

"I'd either quit or quit dating you."

"You'd quit." No way in hell he was letting her get away again, to make sure he swung his leg over hers, keeping her in place.

"Yes I will. Jason I took yesterday off, Stan can only be there until Noon, and I'm already going to be late." She kissed him again, nipping at his bottom lip. "So this will have to wait until later."

He caught her around the waist, pulling her back under him when she moved to get up. "Noon is hours away."

"True." Giving in she kissed him again. "But your sister will be here any minute."

"Emily?" He drew back in question. "Why is she coming here?"

"Because as far as she knows you dumped me for Robin last night." She glanced at the clock, 8:00 a.m. "I'm surprised Nikolas has kept her distracted for as long as he has."

That killed the mood Jason groaned and rolled off of her. "Distracted?"

"Well I half expected her at 6:00 a.m. so when she didn't show I knew Nikolas was keeping her occupied." He groaned again and she couldn't resist teasing him. "Jason they've been living together for over a year."

"I know."

"Well they have sex."

"Shut up." He covered his eyes with his hands, the last thing he wanted to hear about was his sister's sex life.

The devil made her lean closer and whisper in his ear. "They even had sex before she moved in."

"Elizabeth you're killing me." Her laugh only got louder when he glared at her. "You think it's funny?"

"Yes, your face is hilarious." She laughed only to stop when a pillow hit her in the face. "You." She grabbed a pillow to hit him back.

Pandemonium reigned for a few minutes, until he had enough stuffing left for one more swing but she was on the other side of the table watching him warily. She had a lot of stuffing left in her pillow. "I thought you had to go to work."

"I do and I will as soon as you set the weapon down and back away from it." She ordered her stern expression offset by the laughter in her eyes and the feathers in her hair.

Jason dropped the pillow. "I'm unarmed." He raised his hands in mock surrender moving towards her.

She readied the pillow to swing. "I love you." His words caused her to forget about the pillow, and it went lax in her hand.

"I love you." He repeated pulling her into his arms, his hand sliding down her arm while he kissed her.

Elizabeth smacked him in the head with the pillow. "I love you too Jason, but I saw that one coming." She laughed and danced away from him heading for the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To shower." She turned at the door. "Alone, and then to work. I'm through with you, so don't let the door hit you on the way out." She told him with a grin shutting the door in his face.

"I'm getting real tired of you shutting doors in my face." He yelled through the door.

She laughed. "I'll see you later Jason."

"Elizabeth." What was he doing that sounded like he was begging. "Fine, I'll see you at work." He pulled on his shoes, picked up the remains of his shirt and headed for the door.

"Hey Jason." Elizabeth opened the bathroom door. "I love you." She waited until for his smile before she dropped the towel, paused for a second and then closed the door again.

He was going to kill her, slowly, and painfully, but he was going to kill her.

****

~Penthouse~

"Hold the elevator please." V hurried on. "Thanks…" her voice trailed off.

"Morning Ms. Ardnowski."

"Good Morning Mr. Corinthos." V shifted the bags and stared at the moving lights of the elevator keypad.

Sonny moved closer. "Smells good."

"What?" She turned on him in shock.

He gestured to the bags in her hands. "It smells good."

V felt her face flame. "Breakfast for Alexis and me."

There it was again that little tug of attraction. He thought it was only the night, but Sonny felt it again, while she stood there watching him warily. "What is it?"

"Huevos Machaca with extra spice." Criminal or not he was good looking.

"Spice?" Sonny asked when the doors opened on his floor. "You like things hot do you?"

V paused outside of Alexis's door. "The hotter the better Mr. Corinthos."

Sonny smiled. "What if you get burned?"

"I never get burned. Damn." She looked up at him again. "Sorry Mr. Corinthos."

She was apologizing for swearing in front of him, now he was really amused. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot the hot sauce."

Sonny closed the distance to peer in the bag. "Looks like you'll have to play it safe this time."

Who needed hot sauce when he was standing this close? V edged back to the door.

He was making her nervous, Sonny resisted the grin when he noticed her movements.

"I thought I heard someone." Alexis opened the door behind V.

V moved inside with relief, what was going on with her today? "Goodbye Mr. Corinthos."

"Ms. Ardnowski, Alexis." Sonny smiled before heading for his own door.

"He does have a nice butt."

"Alexis." V turned on her in surprise.

"What? Don't tell me you weren't looking. It's just so rare that we get to see it, normally he has a jacket on." Alexis explained.

"Or loose fitting pants." V's eyes widened. "I mean I have watched him…I mean when I was doing surveillance I couldn't help but notice his…I mean."

"V breathe." Alexis took the bag from her. "Sit down, if it's Huevos at 8:30 something happened."

V groaned dropping to the couch. "How did life get so crazy?"

"I can answer that in three letters, M-E-N." Alexis explained heading into the kitchen.

****

~Garage~

"Hey Stan." Jason greeted the old man before heading up the stairs. He came up short when he noticed his door partially opened. He moved to it cautiously before pushing it open the rest of the way. "Johnny."

"Jason." Johnny got up from the chair he had been waiting in for over an hour and pushed it back against the wall.

"Is something wrong with Sonny?" Jason asked moving into the room.

"No this has nothing to do with work." Johnny told him calmly, he wanted to make that point crystal clear. "What is going to happen here has absolutely no bearing on work."

"Okay." Jason said studying his friend.

"Good." Johnny told him before letting his fist fly.

Jason was caught off guard, he took the punch on the chin and went staggering back into the dresser. He put up his hand when Johnny advanced on him. "Wait, what?"

"You want to know why?" Johnny shook his head in disgust. "Jesus Jason you're not stupid so don't act like it now."

"Is this about Elizabeth? Because if it is I need to tell you…"

"Of course it is about Elizabeth." Johnny interrupted him. "I told you not to hurt her. I also warned you what would happen if you did." He took a step back to glare at his former friend. "You were on a date with Elizabeth, you two were always touching each other, that dance of yours nearly set the room on fire. Then what happens?" Johnny shoved Jason back a step. "Robin walks in and you trash Elizabeth like she was garbage."

"Now wait a minute…" Jason snapped getting angry.

"No you wait. I don't care what she told you, you shouldn't have left her there like that. You shouldn't have left her there alone." He moved closer so he was inches from Jason. "The whole ballroom knew you were with her, then they see you leave with Robin. Did you even wonder how that would make Elizabeth feel, how hurt she was?"

Jason was quiet but his anger grew, Johnny didn't understand.

"The Quartermaine's saw it, we all saw it." Johnny poked Jason in the chest. "How long do you think it was before Carly was all over her?"

"Carly?"

"Yes, your other ex. You don't think she missed the chance to get after Elizabeth over this do you?"

Johnny circled Jason whiled he delivered his verbal assault. "Elizabeth is strong, strong enough to handle Carly and her insults. But you know what she couldn't do?" He paused until he was eye to eye with Jason. "Even she wasn't strong enough to walk back in that ballroom alone, knowing that everyone saw you leave with Robin, after only talking to her for five minutes."

Jason flinched.

"So she snuck out the back way, while you left with Robin, and come walking in this place at 8:45 in the morning after what looks like a night of sex, and you wonder why I'm angry." Johnny shook his head. "I always respected you Jason and in work that won't change. But outside of work I don't even want to know you. So what happens in this room today stays in this room. Everything ends here, Elizabeth, our friendship, the only contact we will have left is through work."

Jason was furious by the time Johnny finished speaking but he was furious with himself. "Let me say something first."

Johnny crossed his arms and waited. "Talk, it won't make a difference."

"You're right I didn't handle the situation very well. I shouldn't have listened to Elizabeth and left with Robin, or at the very least I should have taken her home first."

"Gee you think?"

Jason glared at him. "I was shocked and I didn't handle it right. But you've got some things wrong too Johnny. I wasn't with Robin last night, I left her and got to Elizabeth's around Midnight."

Johnny studied him, Jason didn't lie especially not if it could be found out so easily, but his temper wasn't abated.

Setting his keys on the dresser, he leaned an elbow on it to rub his bruised cheek. "Look I finally figured out why she sent me with Robin, why she had to, it hit me last night during one of our down times between." He stopped it was now painfully obvious that Johnny really did consider Elizabeth a sister. So how could he tell him he figured it out in between their lovemaking?

"I get it go on." Johnny's voice was tight with anger.

"She had to know that she was the one I wanted to be with." Jason sighed. "With Robin in Paris it was easy to have a relationship, she might never have mentioned it, but she would have wondered if she was a stand in. She had to know that given the choice I would choose her over Robin. So she sent me with Robin and it worked, I realized I was in love with Elizabeth and not Robin. Once I figured that out I went to Elizabeth and after a lot of fighting we worked it out." He turned to face Johnny. "But after hearing what happened after I left, I realize I have so much more to make up for. So feel free to give me another shot, I've more than earned it." Jason closed the distance. "But after that I'm fighting back."

Johnny studied Jason for a minute, before ramming a fist in his gut, sending Jason doubled over in pain.

"So." Jason gasped straightening. "Are we fighting?"

"No." Johnny said tiredly. "But you deserved that one."

"Good." Jason said sitting on the bed rubbing his stomach. "Man you got a right."

Johnny smiled ruefully shaking his hand. "Me? What about you? Are you made of iron?"

Jason smiled extending his hand, rising gingerly from the bed. "So are we square?"

"Yes." Johnny shook his hand. "But I'm warning you treat her right."

"I plan on it." Jason took a step back. "Are you doing anything right now?"

"No I don't work until later, why?"

"I'm going to pay a visit to Lucky." Jason paused in the bathroom door. "You're her family I thought you might like to see it."

Johnny's grin turned evil. "Finally."

****

~Apartment~

"Come in Emily the door's open."

"How did you know it was me?" Emily asked entering the small apartment.

Elizabeth came to the door of the bathroom. "I've been expecting you, although I got to give Nikolas credit he kept you more distracted than I thought. I'll be out in a minute."

Emily surveyed the room, this was not what she had expected to find. Elizabeth even seemed happy. What was going on? Her eye fell on the rumpled bed, the 2 soda cans, she moved closer and saw the condoms on the floor. "Oh god."

"What? I didn't hear you."

"So you're okay about last night?" Emily looked around the room looking for a sign as to who had been there.

"Yeah thanks for giving me space." Elizabeth put on some mascara. "I talked to Johnny he really helped."

Johnny? She couldn't have, not with Johnny. "So he brought you home?"

"What?"

Emily spied the ripped short lying on the floor. "How could you do that?" she demanded, "I know Jason was a jackass but still."

"How could I do what?" Elizabeth asked pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Sleep with Johnny."

"What?" She moved to the door in surprise. "I didn't sleep with Johnny."

Emily held up an empty condom wrapper. "Oh no?"

"No Jesus Emily Johnny's like my brother." She made a face. "Ewwwww. I don't even want that image in my head."

"So who did you sleep with?"

"Although now that you mention it, I did see Johnny change once." She caught the look, "It was an accident." She said defensively. "Anyway let's just say his girlfriend is one very lucky woman."

  
"Stop avoiding the question." Emily snapped. "Although we'll come back to that later. Now who was here last night?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Jason, he came by and told me he loved me."

"He did?" Emily let out a yell and hugged her friend. "He isn't so stupid after all."

"No." Elizabeth laughed too.

"Okay I want details, what did he say?"

"You'll have to get them later I need to go to work." Elizabeth told her picking up her keys.

"No you have to answer first."

"Emily."

"No we agreed no matter what to always answer that question." Emily tapped her foot, "How many?"

"Alright, 4 times."

"Jesus 4?" Emily was stunned.

"Well he didn't get here until Midnight, then we fought for an hour," Elizabeth explained, "then we just sort of kept going."

"4 times my god I have totally new respect for my brother." Emily muttered.

"You're going to let the subject drop." Elizabeth warned her. "Otherwise Nikolas will hear about a certain flirtation in Mexico."

Emily's eyes widened. "I'm not saying a word, not a single word." She paused. "Well maybe one word, Bitch."

Elizabeth laughed. "Hey you've been having sex regularly, it's been months for me."

Emily followed her to the door, "Still you like to make up for it in a rush don't you? 0 to 4 in one night, Damn."

****

~Penthouse~

"So there we were in the elevator and for a minute I thought Jax was going to kiss me." V explained digging into her tortilla.

"So what happened?" Alexis gave up any pretense of eating.

"We stopped at a floor, some people got on, and we didn't talk again." These just weren't the same without hot sauce.

"Sorry V." Alexis said, "Sometimes Jax just doesn't have a clue."

"No it wasn't his fault, I'm the one that misread the signals." V glared at her plate. "He doesn't think of me the same way he thinks of you."

"That's good." Alexis told her sipping her coffee. "He thinks more of you, it's only a matter of time before he makes a move on you."

V choked on her orange juice. "He doesn't see me like that, besides he wants to date you."

"V I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Jax doesn't really want to date me, neither does Sonny."

"What?"

"It's true." Alexis nodded, "Both of them are my friends, but they like to compete against each other. I'm just the next level of competition, neither one wants me, but they don't want the other one to have me. Nothing happens when I touch either one of them, they know it and I know it."

"B-but Jax is always talking about you." V argued.

"Is he talking about me alone or does he mention me and Sonny at the same time?" V looked surprise and Alexis got her answer. "See that proves my point."

"Still…"

"If either of them were gone on me, they would notice when I entered a room, they would definitely notice when I left one. I would be more important than getting in the other's face." She got up. "You want something more to drink?"

"No."

"Can you get that?" Alexis called when someone knocked on the door.

"Sure." V opened the door. "Mr. Corinthos."

Sonny smiled showing off his dimples. "Ms. Ardnowski, I brought you something." His smile grew as he watched her eyes go from surprised to suspicious.

"What?"

"Hot sauce." He held out a jar to her, holding onto it when she went to take it from him. "I hate to see you go without."

"Thanks Mr. Corinthos." She couldn't help the slight shiver of awareness that went through her when her hand brushed his.

"Be careful." Sonny's voice was low his eyes locked on hers. "This is a special blend, it's really hot."

V's mouth was dry. "I already told you the hotter the better. I can handle anything."

"Anything?" Sonny moved closer his finger next to hers on the bottle. "That remains to be seen." He couldn't believe he was flirting with her.

Was he flirting with her? "I haven't been burned yet."

The ding of the arriving elevator broke whatever spell was being weaved around them. Sonny's finger lightly caressed hers when he let go of the bottle to turn to face Benny who had just gotten off the elevator. "Benny wait inside, I'll be right there."

He looked back at V, and saw that whatever softness she had been feeling was gone, she was now watching him suspiciously with cop's eyes. Cop's eyes, it should have been enough for him to walk away, to end this but… "Enjoy the heat Ms. Ardnowski."

"Thank you." She watched him walk away.

"You were checking his butt again."

V slammed the door. "Alexis Mr. Corinthos is a criminal I was not checking his butt."

"Right." Alexis agreed with a smirk. "What's that?"

"Hot sauce, I mentioned I forgot it and he brought me some." She stared at the bottle in confusion. "Why would he do that?"

Alexis smiled she thought she knew.

****

~Lucky's Trailer~

"I know Mom." Lucky spoke in his cellphone while he walked up to the trailer. "I know what Aunt Bobbie said, I will take it easy." He paused with his hand on the knob. "I told you mom I tripped on some champagne and hit my face then I sort of staggered over the edge." He paused again. "No, no one hit me." He opened the door. "Bye mom." His voice trailed off when he saw Jason sitting in the chair waiting for him. "Hi Jason."

Jason looked at Lucky coldly he couldn't help but be amused when he took in the boy's bandaged nose and black eyes, courtesy of Elizabeth no doubt, he also had livid scratches on his face, neck and hands, courtesy of Johnny. "Lucky."

Moving cautiously in the room, he looked around at the pile of magazines on the coffee table, and couldn't quite seem to figure out what to do with his hands. "D-did you need something Jason?"

Jason remained sitting his eyes never leaving Lucky. "I think you know why I'm here." He watched the color drain from Lucky's face.

"What did you mean?" Lucky edged back to the door and ran into the wall, activating his big mouth bass plaque on the wall. "_Take me to the river." _The fish sang.

"Elizabeth, Lucky she finally talked to me about you."

Lucky gulped and bolted for the door. "_Throw me in the water_." He opened it and Johnny stepped through it pushing him into the room before entering and closing the door behind him. "W-what did she tell you?"

"Basically that you've been following her, asking her out." Jason shifted his eyes locked on Lucky's, "spying on her."

Lucky gulped. "I liked her, but that was before she started dating you. Now that I know she's with you I won't do anything, I'll leave her alone."

"Really." Jason asked getting to his feet.

"Y-yes really." Lucky stammered. "I realize now that she's crazy about you."

"You know Lucky, I was going to come over here and hit you." He flipped through some computer disks on the table. "I wasn't going to do that much to you because you really are harmless."

"Yes I am." God if Jason hit him it would hurt so bad.

"But I had some time to think, while I waited here for you Lucky," Jason turned to face him, "and I've reconsidered."

"Oh thank you." Lucky was trembling in relief. "Like I said I won't bother her again."

"No you won't." Jason agreed moving towards Johnny only to stop in front of Lucky. "Just answer me this how stupid do you think I am?"

Lucky blinked owlishly at him. "I don't think your stupid."

"You must if you thought I wouldn't find this." Jason said opening the closet in the small room and exposing a shrine to Elizabeth.

"I can explain." Lucky mumbled shoving his hands deep in the pocket of his powder blue tux.

"Could you?" Jason leaned against he door. "Because I would really like to hear it."

"I like photography." Lucky blurted out, he could feel Johnny move closer behind him. "Elizabeth is real pretty she makes a great model."

Jason turned to study the photos, "You're right she is pretty. I have a little problem with photos but Johnny here filled me in. He says that most of these photos, no pretty much all of them, were taken when she wasn't aware of it."

"Well…" God he couldn't think, he was so scared. "I like the element of surprise, you get a real reaction then."

"Maybe, just maybe I can buy that."

"Anyway, I told you I will leave her alone now, she's with you." Lucky said desperately.

"Maybe." Jason went on. "But you see this one." He tapped a photo. "Come here."

Lucky took a step back, right into Johnny. "Come here means towards him, not away from him Lurky." Johnny explained propelling Lucky over to Jason. Then stepped back, this was Jason's play.

"You see this picture?" Jason asked tapping one.

"Yes." Lucky was sweating profusely.

"This is one of her sleeping. Now I know Elizabeth, she would never let down her guard around you enough to fall asleep." He looked at Lucky his eyes cold, his tone grew menacing. "So how did you get it?"

"I-I…"

"So I have to ask how stupid do you think I am?" Jason leaned closer.

"I don't."

"She calls you her stalker, a harmless little stalker, and I almost agreed. Then I see this and I realize that she's wrong. You're not harmless you're obsessed."

"I'm not obsessed, I lov…" he broke off. "I mean I thought I loved her, but she has made it obvious that she prefers you."

"Lucky, I'm not stupid, I'm thorough." He nodded to Johnny who handed him a book.

"My journal."

"So you admit that it's yours." Jason fanned the pages. "Interesting reading, sick but interesting. You know maybe I could overlook the pictures, the following her around." He tapped the book against Lucky's chest. "Maybe even the book. But Lucky you spied on her, and you used my place to do it and that puts me in a quandary." Jason stopped. "I bet you thought I was to stupid to know what that word meant didn't you?"

"No."

"You see I like your parents, Luke gave me my first job, Laura's always been nice to me and for some reason they seem to love you." He glared hard at the boy who started to shake.

"I love them too." The voice was a whine.

"But I really can't let this go unpunished. You understand even if we weren't dating I would have to punish you." Jason looked down noticing the stain forming on Lucky's blue pant leg, to the puddle on the floor.

"P-please."

"So Lurky." Jason put his arm around Lucky's shoulder. "Everyone calls you that. Lurky what am I supposed to do with you?"

Lucky started to cry as Jason shut the door.


	11. Marriage? What marriage?

****

Bikes, Cars, and Submarines

Epilogue

****

~Garage~

"Elizabeth."

Elizabeth gave a final twist to the camshaft she was replacing and turned. "Hello Gram, what brings you by? Is the car acting up?"

"No I came to speak with you." Audrey Hardy carefully stepped around an oil stain on the ground and moved towards her granddaughter.

"Okay." Elizabeth moved to the sink to wash her hands. "What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about last night." Audrey winced and gestured with her hand. "Honestly Elizabeth can you turn that down?"

"Sorry." Elizabeth turned off the radio and picked up her rag. "What about last night?"

"You came to the ball with Jason Morgan."

"Yes."

"I was concerned about that, though I heard he left with Robin."

"Are you worried about me?" She couldn't help but be happy at the thought.

"No that was for the best." Audrey shook her head firmly. "I wanted to know what possessed you to go there with him in the first place."

Elizabeth's smile faded, she picked up a clipboard and headed into the small storage room in the back. "He asked me."

Audrey sighed, shouldered her purse and followed her wayward granddaughter. "I didn't know you were dating him."

She checked the list and the shelf. "Not **were** we still are dating. He just had to talk to Robin that was all."

"Oh Elizabeth."

Two words, one of them her name said with such censure and disappointment she almost felt like she were at home, almost. "What?"

"I honestly don't know what you're thinking by dating Jason Morgan he's a criminal."

"Alleged, he's never been convicted of anything." Elizabeth corrected bending to check off another part number.

"So now you know the lingo?" Exasperated Audrey clasped her hands. "I worry so about you."

"Look Gram, I know you worry but I'm fine." She looked at her Grandmother and smiled. "Jason and I are good together, and if you give him a chance you will see that."

Audrey shook her head. "I thought you had changed. I thought you had grown up. Elizabeth you have so much potential, and to see you waste it in a garage, and on a criminal, it disappoints me so."

Elizabeth sighed it was an old argument, except for the Jason reference. "I'm happy with my life, and I know what I'm doing."

"Do you? You thought you knew what you were doing when you ran away from home at 17, remember how that turned out?" Audrey moved closer. "You thought you knew what you were doing when you got married at age 18." She paused to let her words sink in. "You moved here for a fresh start and what's the first thing you do? You get a job here."

"I'm a mechanic they tend to work in garages." Elizabeth snapped slamming the clipboard on a crate.

"Don't use that tone with me young lady." Audrey retorted before taking a calming breath. "It seems you haven't grown up at all."

"If growing up means I have to label Jason a criminal or myself a failure because I'm a mechanic, then no I haven't." Elizabeth faced her Grandmother. "I love you, but I won't justify myself, my actions, or my friends to you."

"After what happened last time, I just don't want to see you hurt again."

Elizabeth could see the love in her Gram's eyes and swallowed her anger. "I know you care but I really am okay, my relationship with Jason is nothing like what happened before."

"Mrs. Hardy, Elizabeth." Jason said from the doorway.

"Jason." Audrey turned glancing at him briefly before focusing on Elizabeth. "I'll expect you for supper on Sunday."

"I'll be there."

Audrey nodded and left.

Elizabeth looked at Jason she wondered how much he heard. They hadn't talked about her past yet, and she wasn't real eager too. "Hey."

Jason moved in the room. "Did you two fight?"

Elizabeth shrugged dismissively. "We don't fight we disagree." She bent down to continue checking the parts.

"And today's disagreement was about me." Jason leaned against a metal rack watching her.

"You're name was mentioned." Elizabeth conceded. "But it also had the usual stuff, the you're wasting your mind working as a mechanic, and so on."

"Come here."

She shot him a look. "I'm working."

Raising an eyebrow he merely waited.

Elizabeth got up, and crossed to him slowly, deciding to let him pull her into his arms. "I'm sorry I added to it."

"I'm not," she murmured leaning against him. "In fact I wouldn't have it any other way."

He rested his chin on her head. "You know a lot of people will try to warn you about me."

"So."

"So you should be prepared." He didn't want her to regret what she was doing later on.

"Jason I'm in love with you." She tilted her head back to look in his face. "That means every part of you, even the parts that you can't or won't tell me about."

He brushed a hand over her cheek. "So you're okay about what…"

"I'm not going to try to change you," knowing where this was heading she interrupted him quickly. "I'm only going to ask that you be as careful as you can be."

Reaching up she brought his head down to hers. Their lips met, and for once the passion was banked. The kiss was tender, soft, and sweet. His lips brushed over hers, her mouth opened and he sank into the softness. His hands framed her face as he explored her mouth. He thought he knew her every taste but she always surprised him.

They broke for air, she was still leaning against him for support, both felt a little unnerved at the reaction they had to just a simple kiss. She shook her head and reminded herself, nothing was simple when it came to Jason.

"Will you go to Luke's with me tonight?"

His words caused his chest to rumble against her ear. "Two dates in two nights, I'm not sure I can take it."

He laughed. "I promise, this date will be much better than the last."

She drew back to look at him. "You have a deal on one condition."

"What's that?" He rubbed a grease mark off of her forehead leaning back against the shelving.

"I drive." She told him moving in between his legs.

"No one drives my bike but me." Jason shook his head.

"I did before." She leaned closer and rested her forehead on his.

"That was a one shot deal."

"Really?" She grinned up at him slyly, "Wanna bet?"

****

~Luke's~

"Well hello Natasha." Luke called from behind the bar. "How are things at Spook Island?"

"I wouldn't know Luke, you're sister doesn't like me to come over very often." Alexis reminded him while taking a seat.

"Now Natasha, you know Count Vlad must miss you, and just think of all the fun we had sneaking around the tunnels, the plans, the plots…"

"The almost killing of an innocent bystander." Alexis finished for him. "No more plans with you Luke."

"That's always advisable." Sonny said from behind her.

"Corinthos. What have you been telling her about me?" Luke glared at Sonny.

"He doesn't have to tell me anything." Alexis told him.

"Well ex-partner can I get a drink?" Sonny asked taking a seat beside Alexis.

"Depends on who you're socializing with." Luke said pouring him an unblended scotch.

"I'm still waiting on mine." Alexis said.

"I can't believe you still have that up." Sonny told Luke.

"I don't know, I've always kind of enjoyed it." Alexis admitted following his gaze to the fall wall. "Besides I'm sure it keeps the rats away."

Luke turned to look at the portrait of a nude Helena Cassadine, he tipped a drink at her frowning visage. "It's my drinking test."

"What?" Sonny asked.

"If someone looks at that and thinks she looks good I cut them off." Luke explained sending both Alexis and Sonny into laughter.

"Does she still look like that?" Sonny asked Alexis.

"Luke has seen her since I have."

"Last I saw her she was comatose in a bed in Greece." Luke's eyes were drawn to the newcomers at the door. "Hello Darlin." He said with a smile.

"Hi Luke." Elizabeth said coming to the bar to kiss his cheek.

"Morgan." Luke's tone was frostier.

"Luke." Jason nodded his head.

"I don't know if I should thank you or yell at you Darlin."

"What do you mean Luke?" Elizabeth asked in confusion.

"Well Lucky's gone and I bet it is because of you and Mr. Talkative here."

"Lucky's gone?" 

"Yes, I guess he got tired of having his heart not to mention his nose broken. He left town to find himself." Luke told her.

"There aren't enough places to look." Johnny muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Where was he going to look?" Elizabeth asked glaring at Johnny.

"I don't know he said he'll keep in touch. Laura's worried but I think it will do the kid good to see something of the world. Maybe it will make a man out of him."

Jason's eyes met Johnny's who turned away so he wouldn't laugh.

"So are you going to treat her right tonight Morgan?" Luke asked lighting a cigar, "Because you didn't last night."

Jason kept his eyes on Luke. "Yes."

"See that you do," frowning his gaze drifted over Jason's shoulder. "Natasha what have I told you about bringing your family in here?"

Alexis turned to see Nikolas and Emily enter the club. "Excuse me."

"Hi. Mr. C., excuse me a minute." Elizabeth told Jason before heading over to Johnny who was talking with Chloe, Felicia, and Katherine Belle. "Excuse us." She told them pulling Johnny away.

****

~Bar~

"So I see you two worked things out." Sonny said after Luke moved away.

"Yes." Jason sat down. "You were right, I am in love with Elizabeth."

Sonny grinned.

"I just wish I didn't have to hurt Robin." He sighed, "She wanted to get back together."

Sonny sobered. "I know, I saw her after you two talked."

"How was she?" Jason couldn't help but be concerned, he had never wanted to hurt her.

"She's hurting." Sonny admitted, and she was in for a rude awakening.

__

"That's just it Sonny, I don't think I can let go of him."

Sonny sighed and put his hands on her shoulders. "Robin you don't have a choice."

Robin shook her head in denial. "We love each other. Love was never our problem, he just needs to see that I am serious about moving home and being with him."

"Robin it's true you didn't break up because you fell out of love. You broke off because you couldn't handle who he is, and what he does." Sonny reminded her.

"But I can handle it." Robin backed away. "I just need to prove that to him and it will be all okay."

"What about Elizabeth?"

"Sonny?"

"What did you say Jason?" Sonny asked snapping out of his reverie.

"I was just saying I hope that Robin is okay."

"She will be." With a lot of time. Sonny turned when he heard Jax's voice and saw him talking to Alexis. "Excuse me."

****

~Table~

"So I'm guessing the bruise on Jason's chin would match your knuckle." Elizabeth commented.

Johnny shifted in his seat. "He had it coming."

"Johnny." She shook her head.

"Hey you two worked it out and that's great. I don't need any details, I'm happy for you." Johnny explained. "But he still deserved it."

"Johnny I fight my own battles."

"You're my family, you don't have your own battles, I'm involved and now so is Jason so get used to it."

"Fair enough, but it goes both ways." Elizabeth paused. "So what the hell are you waiting for?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why are you here talking with me when you should be over there talking to her?" Elizabeth demanded.

"It's complicated." Johnny retorted. "Wait how did you know it was her?"

"It's obvious. Look I know there might be some problems in the beginning but you love her." She paused then went for the jugular. "Unless you were just screwing her."

"It's not like that." Johnny snapped furious at the suggestion.

"Then prove it to her, or you will lose her." She took his hand. "Look at me I had to fight the memory of a perfect love, a femme fatale by the name of Carly, who also happened to be tall, and then the perfect love's return. What the hell do you have to be afraid of?"

****

~Bar~

"Hey Jase."

"Carly." He said without turning.

"You're not even going to look at me?" Carly asked, sitting on an empty stool.

"I told you to stay away from Elizabeth, and what do you do? You attack her the first time you can." Jason turned looking at her coldly. "I don't need that in my life."

"Please Jase." Her eyes filled with real tears. "Please don't abandon me too, not now, I need help, I'm pregnant."

****

~Table~

"Look Alexis and I have plans to why don't you just shove off." Jax told Sonny.

"Why should I? I was here first, I used to own the place, and Luke likes me. Why don't you leave?" Sonny shot back.

"I have an idea why don't you both leave." Alexis interjected but was ignored.

"I'm sorry but she can't have dinner with either one of you tonight, she has other plans."

Sonny and Jax stopped arguing to stare at him.

"What? After weeks of ignoring me. Weeks of letting these two idiots fight over me like I was the last steak at a buffet, now you stick up for me?" Alexis demanded stepping in between Sonny and Jax.

"Yes." Johnny said. "You told me to make up my mind and I have. We are leaving to make sure this never happens again."

"What do you mean by that Johnny O'Brian?" Sonny and Jax were totally forgotten as she yelled at Johnny. "What makes you think I even still want you?"

"Well it's too damn bad if you don't, because I will hound you for the rest of your life if I have to. I love you Alexis Davidovitch Cassadine soon to be O'Brian."

Alexis' mouth dropped open in shock. "W-what?"

"That's right were getting married tonight." He took her hand when she started to gasp.

"You expect me to marry you after all the crap you put me through?"

"Yes." He pulled her to him and kissed her, Alexis didn't struggle her arms locked around his neck locking him to her. "You love me," he whispered against her lips, "and I'm not going to lose you."

"Oh God." Alexis muttered. "Yes I'll marry you, but…" She gripped his jacket front and pulled him to her. "There aren't divorces in my family, only poisonings and the occasional throat slitting. Still want to take me on?"

Johnny smiled. "Let's go."

"Way to go Natasha. The old bitty will be rolling in her bed." Luke called from the bar.

"Oh god." Alexis panted.

"Here." Elizabeth shoved a paper bag in her hand. "Enjoy the ride."

"Sorry sir, I guess I should have told you." Johnny stopped in front of Sonny his hand locked on Alexis who was breathing in the bag. "Francis is outside he'll finish out my shift," he paused. "I guess I need to explain but I don't know how."

Sonny shook his head in defeat. "Go." He ordered waving his hand to the door.

Johnny smiled in relief and pulled Alexis out the door.

"How long have you known?" Sonny asked Elizabeth.

"A little while, once I did I thought it was so obvious, I was surprised I didn't figure it out sooner."

"My best friend is going to marry your bodyguard," Jax shook his head. "Well it could have been worse, it could have been you."

"I notice she didn't even look in your direction candy boy." Sonny retorted.

"Cheer up boys." Elizabeth touched both men's backs. "You'll find someone new to compete for, who knows maybe this time one of you might really fall in love with her too."

"Hey was that Alexis I just saw leaving with Johnny?" V asked entering the club with a slam.

Both Jax and Sonny focused on her.

"What?" V asked nervously. Why were they staring at her like that?

****

~Mediterranean~ 

"What did you find?"

"It was a boy, he washed up on shore."

"Was he alone?"

"Yes Madame."

"What is that smell?"

"The boy Madame, he got caught in the fishing nets."

"Oh." She leaned closer to peer at the boy. "You know what to do with uninvited guests."

Lucky gasped and stepped away from the woman.

"Wait." She studied the boy again, pushing past the smell to do so. He was young and cute, she didn't particularly care for cute, but still. "Bring him closer."

Lucky was prodded closer to the woman who was wearing a turban.

There was something unsettling about those eyes that called to her. "Take him and clean him up I might have use for him."

"Yes, Mrs. Cassadine."

Lucky fainted when he heard her name.

****

~Luke's~

"So when are you moving in with me?"

Elizabeth choked on her drink. "What?"

"I asked." Jason repeated. "When are you moving in with me?"

"Jason we haven't even made it through a date and you want to live together?" Elizabeth shook her head. "That's moving a little to fast for me."

"Why? We love each other, were going to be spending nights together anyway." Jason dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. "So why not live together?"

"Because this is all so new, we have plenty of time." She arched her neck when his mouth continued to rove her neck. "What's the rush?"

"I love you." He pressed.

"And I love you. But there is a lot of stuff ahead of us, why not just enjoy the moment?" She answered kissing him lightly before drawing him into a dance. "You lost the bet, you have to dance."

Jason's arms tightened around her, he could do that he could take it slow if she wanted. He wasn't going to let her go so there was no real rush. He looked over at Emily and nodded, Emily winked back at him. ON the other hand, she was never going to know what hit her.

~*~*~*~*

__

Well that's it. I hope you enjoyed this little fic, it took everything I had not to edit it again. If you've read it before please drop me a line, and if this is your first time reading I'd love to hear from you as well. Thanks, Stephanie


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